The Jock and The Geek
by Phoenix Of Hope
Summary: An epic of Lily and James's 7th year in Hogwarts- Pre-OotP


The Jock and the Geek By Ricca  
  
Lily Evans sat in a compartment on the train to Hogwarts, lost in thought. She was extremely happy to be Head Girl her final year at Hogwarts. Lily had everything- a warm, loving family; great friends; she was smart and would be pretty if she cleaned up a bit. But something truly bugged Lily, as she sat staring off into space, amongst her friends' chatter. The petite redhead was thinking about her crush, James Potter. For Lily, it was love at first sight- ever since she had first laid eyes on him almost seven years ago. James was tall, handsome, and popular- everything Lily wasn't. Lily was short, had fiery green eyes that she wished were blue, and wore glasses. Lily's hair was always slightly messy and she was an introvert. The exact opposite of James Potter, no wonder he had never really noticed her. Even when they first met, it was because he hadn't noticed her.  
  
**********************************Flash back*******************************************  
  
Lily Evans was filing in with the rest of the first year students. She was terrified of the sorting that she had no clue of what will happen. Everything around her was strange- nothing reminded her of her home, or her world. Lily was a muggle-born, as one of her textbooks called it. That meant her family was all muggle, and she was the only witch. Quite suddenly, Lily fell to the stone floor.  
  
"Ouch!" Lily rubbed her elbow where in had smacked against the stone. She looked up and saw a handsome boy with the messiest jet-black hair and the most beautiful sapphire eyes she had ever seen.  
  
"Sorry, didn't see you there. What's your name?" The boy asked her, offering his hand to help her up.  
  
"L-Lily. Lily Evans. And you are?" Lily took his hand and stood up.  
  
"James Potter. Really sorry. I was pushed by Sirius over there." James grinned at her.  
  
"Its ok." Lily smiled slightly and James turned back to a slightly shorter, brownish black haired boy, presumably Sirius.  
  
********************************End flash back******************************************  
  
Lily sighed audibly.  
  
"Hey Lil, what's wrong?" Lily's best friend, Jessica, asked her. Jessica had thick brown hair and eyes the color of honey. She was average height, a couple inches taller than Lily, who ranked in at 5'4".  
  
"Nothing. Just reflecting on our years here. I'm gonna miss this place so much." Lily lied quickly. [I]'More like I'm gonna miss watching James all the time.'[/I] Lily thought to herself.  
  
"Yeah right, you were thinking about-" Jessica was cut off by someone coming into their compartment.  
  
"Oh sorry, I thought it was empty in here." A hott, 17 year old James Potter stuck his head into the compartment.  
  
"Its ok- you can come in if you want." Jessica smiled.  
  
"Nah- thanks though." James winked and closed the door. Lily slumped back in her chair and breathed loudly. She had held her breath the whole time he was there.  
  
"I tried." Jessica shrugged.  
  
"Thanks Jessie." Lily cracked a small smile.  
  
"Did you hear?" Jessica leaned in- she was sitting across from Lily.  
  
"'Bout who?" Lily raised her eyebrows, only slightly interested.  
  
"James." Jessica grinned as Lily sat up, eyes as big as saucers.  
  
"What?! Tell me!! Tell me tell me tell me!!!" Lily begged her friend, who was giggling at her.  
  
"Well, James is Head Boy." Jessica revealed.  
  
"Really?" Lily's jaw nearly hit the floor.  
  
"Yes- and you know of all the stuff Head Students have to do together!" Jessica told her friend happily. She knew how much Lily loved James- not liked, [I] loved [/I]- and for how long too.  
  
"Yes, this is PERFECT! Maybe he'll finally notice me!" Lily squealed happily.  
  
"I told, all you have to do is let me give you a make over. That's it. He be all over you." Jessica said with confidence. She knew that Lily could be so pretty if she just worked with what she had. Lily seemed to fight against being pretty. Lily wore ratty jeans and a baggy T-shirt (usually pushing a muggle rock band- Black Sabbath was her favorite) on dress down days; wore her hair in messy braids or ponytail. If it was ever down, it was messy. Lily also wore rather odd glasses- the frames were black on the outside and purple on the inside.  
  
"I'm not doing it. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times- nobody will fall over me if you give me a make-over. I'm a geeky, nerdy looking girl- NOT PRETTY." Lily sounded firm, as if she had told her friend a thousand times (which she really had).  
  
"Come on, please? At least for a dance or something?" Jessica fished around. Lily had real potential, but refused to see it.  
  
"No. Never. I'm not buying into the system." Lily remained firm.  
  
"The system?" Jessica was confused. Lily may be her best friend, but sometimes Lily just came up with weird stuff.  
  
"The system. The one that says girls have to be pretty and guys will be all over them. I want someone who will accept me for who I am- not how I look." Lily explained.  
  
"Riight. Anyway, are you excited about the ball? It said in our letter to get dress robes- what do yours look like?" Jessica changed the subject, still having no clue what Lily was talking about.  
  
"Green. They match my eyes." Lily smiled slightly. She could tell her friend wasn't sure about the 'system' Lily had been talking about.  
  
"Awesome. Mine are lavender and they're made of this floaty material- I'll show you in our dorm. The have bell sleeve and they're just so pretty!"  
  
"Mine are like the school robes, 'cept green." Lily shrugged. She didn't care a lot about the whole affair.  
  
"We will be arriving at the station in about five minutes time. Head Students, please report to the front." A bodiless voice echoed through the corridors of the train. "Got to go, that's me." Lily grinned. She had already changed into her robes. After grabbing her wand, Lily swished out of the compartment and to the front of the train.  
  
"We can wait for James." The smiling witch who pushed the snack cart told Lily once she had gotten to where she was supposed to be. James arrived shortly thereafter.  
  
"What's up?" James asked, smiling.  
  
"You two open the doors on the train, and direct students. You will be the last to leave, in your own carriage." The witch told them. The train slowly came to a halt, but James had jumped out before and helped Lily out. The two rushed in opening the doors to the train. Then, James and Lily directed students. First years reported to the gamekeeper, Hagrid, and the rest took horseless carriages to the school.  
  
Soon, all the students left.  
  
"Hey, let's go!" James called to Lily and the two of them got into the remaining carriage.  
  
"So how are you?" James asked as soon as the carriage lurched forward and took them to the school. James was sitting across from Lily.  
  
"Fine, you?" Lily returned.  
  
"Pretty good."  
  
"So how did you get to be head boy? Don't you have the record for most detentions?" Lily questioned good-naturedly.  
  
"I don't know." James laughed. The two of them were silent until the carriage stopped.  
  
"After you" James jumped out and held the door for Lily. Glowing with happiness, Lily thanked him and the two of them went up to the school together. Once in the Great Hall, James went to his friends, and Lily went to Jessica. They sat on opposite ends of the table. Lily and Jessica nearly started crying during the sorting, this would be the last time they saw the scared first years join their houses for the first time.  
  
Afterwards, the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, stood up.  
  
"May I welcome you all to another year at Hogwarts. A few reminders: The forest on the grounds is strictly forbidden. Mr. Filch would like to announce that the highly popular Filibuster Fireworks are now on the list of items you all are forbidden to use inside the castle. The full list is comprised of one hundred thirty three items and is located in Mr. Filch's office, should anyone care to check it. Quidditch tryouts are the second week of the term, and are open to second years and above. May I introduce our Head Students for this year, Lily Evans, and James Potter." Both Lily and James stood up. There was a polite applause at Lily's name, and a roaring approval at James'. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Lily was glad to sit back down. "As I said before," Dumbledore continued, "welcome to Hogwarts. Let's eat!" Dumbledore sat down and the plates filled with food. The feast was wonderful and was finished quickly. Dumbledore stood up, gave a few more notices and reminders, then the prefects lead their houses to their common room. In the Gryffindors' case, Lily led them; James was goofing off with Sirius, his best friend since both of them could remember.  
  
"Lion paw." Lily gave the password to the common room, and the portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress swung open to admit the students into Gryffindor Tower. The prefects led the first years to their dorms and got them settled in. Lily and Jessica went to their dorm and did the same. Lily quickly unpacked her things, ignoring the chatter of her roommates. When she was done, Lily slipped off her socks and shoes, grabbed a book, and headed for her favorite chair in the common room. To her surprised, she found it occupied by James Potter. Sighing, Lily took a spot on the couch, close to James and his friends. Deciding to stir things up, Lily stretched out and put her feet up on the arm of the couch. Lily began reading and was getting very interested in learning the spell she was reading about.  
  
"Hey Lily, why are you studying? We haven't had classes yet." Grinning, James took the book away from her "The Extremely Hard and Advanced Book of Spells, Volume fifteen. Geeze, Lil, have you read volumes one thru fourteen?" James laughed, flipping through the book.  
  
"Yes, I have. May I have my book back?" Lily sat up and held out her hand. Noticing something, James grabbed her wrist and examined it.  
  
"You got a tattoo?" James looked at the design on Lily's wrist. She had miniscule handprints and footprints underneath them. It looked like a fairy had brown paint on her hands and feet and landed on all fours on Lily's wrist.  
  
"It's henna. Fades away in a few weeks." Lily tried to pull her wrist back but James just tightened his grip.  
  
"Its cool. Do you have any more tattoos?" James asked, interested. Sirius, Remus, and Peter (James' best friends) came up behind James and looked at Lily's tattoo. In fact, they were surprised Lily would do something like this- she didn't seem the type to get a tattoo.  
  
"That's for me to know." Lily smiled and pulled her hand from his grasp. "Can I have my book back?" She asked expectantly.  
  
"Yeah, Sure. Hey, do you have any of this henna stuff with you?" James seemed interested in henna.  
  
"Um, yes, I do. Would you like a tattoo tomorrow night or something? I have to make the paste and stuff." Lily blushed slightly.  
  
"That would be really cool." James nodded and turned back to his friends, who had gone back to their seat.  
  
"Hey, Lil- I like your message on your feet." Remus called to her.  
  
"My name is Lily, not Lil. And why don't you follow it?" Lily said good- naturedly.  
  
"Sure." Remus winked. Lily's feet read: 'Go Away, I'm Reading', with a pair of words on each foot. Around ten o'clock, Lily got up and went to her dorm, happy beyond belief. When she got there, she sought out Jessica, excited to tell her friend of what happened in the common room. After the story was related, Lily pulled out her henna kit. Getting out the powder, Lily began sifting it through a piece of pink cotton.  
  
"Why are you doing that?" Jessica asked, curiously.  
  
"Well, James wants a henna tattoo. I'm making the paste tonight and he can apply it tomorrow night. Hand me my wand." Lily received her wand and conjured some cold tea water and lemon juice. Lily got out her supply of sugar and olive oil. Working in a bowl, Lily added the ingredients to the powder and created the henna paste. Lily then got out the cone shaped bag she used and put the paste in it. Lily then put the plastic clad henna into a mini refrigerator that she kept in her wardrobe.  
  
"Good thinking Lil." Jessica smiled.[I]'Looks like James had finally noticed Lily. Took him long enough.' [/I] she thought to herself. Jessica had been dating Remus since the end of last year, and was thoroughly excited that he had finally noticed her (only took him about 3 years- Jessica had liked him since 3rd year).  
  
"Yeah." Lily sighed and got ready for bed.  
  
"Night, hun!" Lily called and Jessica returned the message. Lily fell asleep promptly.  
  
[I] 'Where am I?' [/I] Lily thought to herself. She was in the back of a church. There seemed to be a wedding going on, but Lily couldn't see the bride or groom. It looked to be like a private wedding, with the couple, the priest, and two witnesses there. [I] 'Jessie? Sirius? What are they doing here?' [/I] Lily thought, confused. Then, she saw the bride. [I] 'ME?! What the hell is going on?' [/I] Sure enough, an older version of Lily was standing at the alter next to a man with jet-black, wildly messy hair. The Lily in her dream was different though, she was pretty- hair down and for once, not messed up, no glasses and wearing makeup. The real Lily stepped forward tentatively. That's when she saw who the groom was. It was none other than James Potter.  
  
Lily awoke with a start. It was 2 am, according to her watch. The moonlight was streaming into the room through the window, beams falling on Lily's bed. Rubbing her eyes, Lily found that she couldn't fall back to sleep. Sighing, Lily grabbed her things and went to the bathroom to take a shower. Lily got dressed, took what she would need for classes and walked down to the common room. To her surprise, James was also awake and dressed. He was sitting in a chair next to the fire, and seemed to be lost in thought.  
  
"James?" Lily asked tentatively.  
  
"Huh? Oh, hey." James was startled to see her.  
  
"What are you doing up?" Lily questioned, curious.  
  
"Couldn't sleep. You?" James asked her.  
  
"Same here." Lily replied and turned on a light next to a chair. She sat down and pulled out her book from the night before.  
  
"Why don't you come over and talk to me?" James smiled.  
  
"Sure." Lily shrugged, turned off the light, and sat in a chair across from James.  
  
"So tell me, why don't you ever talk to me? Or talk to people in general. You're always reading or studying." James questioned her as soon as Lily sat down.  
  
"Well, uh. I'm shy. I don't like large groups of people- they make me nervous." Lily blushed.  
  
"Really? We should cure you of that." James smiled again. [I]'He has such a nice smile.'[/I] Lily thought to herself.  
  
"Yeah, why not. So what kind of tattoo do you want? Do you want me to apply it for you?" Lily changed the subject.  
  
"If you could do it, that would be great- I can't draw at all. I don't know what I want; what can you do?" James asked.  
  
"Here- I have a packet of stuff I can do. I can also free hand almost anything." Lily said proudly, pulling out and handing James a packet of designs.  
  
"Wow, you're good." James praised her. Lily blushed again.  
  
"Its nothing big. Anyway, I suggest you do it after dinner. I'll apply the henna, it will take about fifteen minutes to dry. I then apply some lemon and sugar mixture and the dried henna paste will have to stay on for two hours. Then you scrape it off and apply some olive oil. It will turn brown after a couple hours. Oh, and you can't wash it until the henna turns brown." Lily explained the process as James looked through her packet.  
  
"Could you make a snitch?" James asked, closing the packet.  
  
"Of course." Lily smiled. A snitch would be a piece of cake.  
  
"Cool. Would it work on my shoulder?" James questioned.  
  
"Yeah, it will have to be uncovered, of course until the paste is scraped off." Lily answered him. James and Lily talked until breakfast. They had talked mostly about the farewell ball they were to organize for the 7th years. All 7th years and their dates were invited and it would be held the week after finals, before they would leave Hogwarts forever.  
  
"You hungry?" James stood up and stretched.  
  
"Yeah. Let's go." Lily stood up too. James accompanied Lily to breakfast. Once in the Great Hall, they split up, Lily going to her usual seat, and James going to his. Lily cast sidelong glances at James, who seemed very interested in his food. Sighing to herself, Lily began eating and examining her schedule that had been given to her by Professor McGonagall. Unbeknownst to Lily, James had known Lily was looking at him. As soon as he was sure she had fixed her attention on food and classes, James chanced a look at her.  
  
[I] 'That Lily Evans is one strange girl' [/I] he thought to himself before turning back to his food. When he was half-way done, his best friends showed up. James and his friends had nicknamed themselves the Marauders and were the biggest trouble makers the school had ever seen, James and Sirius more so than Remus and Peter.  
  
"Hey James, you were up really early." Sirius commented as he sat down.  
  
"Yeah- couldn't sleep. I talked to Lily; she also couldn't sleep." James shrugged.  
  
"Lily Evans, right? She's head girl, isn't she?" Peter scratched his head absently.  
  
"Yes, Peter. Geeze, you sure are dense." Sirius shook his head as he piled food onto his plate and dug in.  
  
"I am not!" Peter defended himself, but both James and Sirius gave him a 'yeah, right' look. Remus quickly excused himself and took a seat by his girlfriend, and Lily's best friend, Jessica.  
  
"Hey Jess, how are you?" Remus kissed her neck and murmured in her ear.  
  
"Fine. And you?" Jessica smiled as he sat down next to her.  
  
"Good. Just listening to Peter make the most obvious connections. Like how Lily is head girl." Remus laughed and put some food on his plate. He looked at Jessica's plate, it was barely half full.  
  
"You really should eat more. Look at Lily! She has a good plate in front of her." Remus grinned at Lily who indeed, did have a good breakfast in front of her.  
  
"Yes, but Lily can eat like that, I can't." Jessica maintained.  
  
"Yes you can. Come on, eat some more." Remus pushed.  
  
"Fine." Jessica stuck her tongue out at him but added a bit more food to her plate.  
  
"That's a good girl." Remus wrapped his free arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze.  
  
"You two are sick." Lily rolled her eyes.  
  
"Hey, we just love each other, is there a problem with that?" Remus grinned at Lily.  
  
"No, no. Its just that I'm trying to [I] eat [/I] here." Lily joked. The three of them joked for a few more minutes until Lily excused herself and went up to the Gryffindor Tower. Lily retrieved the books she'd need for the day and plopped into a chair by the fire. Lily sat there, thinking about James and reflecting on her years here at Hogwarts. When the bell rang, signaling the start of classes, Lily snapped out of her trance and dashed off to Transfiguration, where she was reprimanded severely for being late.  
  
"Sorry Professor, I lost track of time." Lily mumbled as she took her seat.  
  
"Detention, Miss Evans. I expect more from you in the future." Professor McGonagall snapped. Lily's heart hit her feet. Detention. Her first detention. Lily was hoping to go through her years at Hogwarts without one, but now, since she spaced out, she had one. Sighing, Lily forced herself to pay attention. Near the end of class, a note was dropped on her book. Looking around, to make sure no one was noticing her, Lily opened the folded up piece of paper. It said in a large, messy scrawl:  
  
[I] Cheer up, detention isn't all that bad.  
  
-James, the co-record holder of most detentions ever given [/I]  
  
Smiling Lily folded the note back up and slipped it into her bag.  
  
"MISS EVANS?! PASSING NOTES! I'll have to take that." Professor McGonagall stood over Lily. Sighing, yet again, Lily pulled the note out and handed it over. McGonagall read the note with pursed lips.  
  
"Well, Mr. Potter, you can join Miss Evans in detention since you feel that it isn't all that bad. Miss Evans, Mr. Potter, please see me after class. Class dismissed." Professor McGonagall announced and the students headed for their next class. James and Lily, on the other hand, went to the back of the classroom to McGonagall's desk.  
  
"Miss Evans, Mr. Potter, as head students you need to set a good example for other students. Mr. Potter, I am not surprised. But Miss Evans, first you're late, then you're passing notes? I am severely disappointed in both of you. Your detention will take place Friday night at 7 p.m., my classroom. Miss Evans, you will be correcting papers. Mr. Potter, you will be transfiguring items back into their original state. Go on now, or you'll be late for your next classes." McGonagall told them. James shrugged and walked out, Lily walking out slowly behind him.  
  
"Come on, cheer up, detention could be worse." James grinned at Lily as she walked out the classroom. He had waited for her, leaning on the doorframe.  
  
"I'm sorry you got detention, its purely my fault." Lily said quietly, walking towards Divination, which both she and James had together.  
  
"No, its not. I wrote you the note. You didn't force me." James joked.  
  
"It is all my fault." Lily sighed again.  
  
"Hey, cheer up, we could be disemboweling frogs for Jarkin." James cracked a smile, referring to the potions teacher.  
  
"I guess. But I still feel bad about you getting detention." Lily could have died when McGonagall said that James had detention.  
  
"Hey, its not that bad. Think of it as you helping me defend my title." James put his arm around her, giving Lily a sort-of hug. [I] 'I've died and gone to heaven. This isn't happening to me' [/I] Lily thought blissfully.  
  
"Feeling better?" James stopped walking and turned Lily, to face him.  
  
"Yeah." Lily smiled. James looked at her for a moment, then kissed Lily. Both of them felt a shock of electricity when their lips touched, that ran though their whole bodies. Drawing back after a moment, Lily blushed and mumbled something about being late again. She hurried off, leaving James standing in the empty corridor.  
  
[I] 'That was weird. What the hell possessed me to do that?' [/I] James thought to himself. Then realizing that he would, indeed, be late, he ran after Lily, arriving just to class just in time.  
  
"Hey Prongs-" Sirius began, but stopped mid-sentence. "What's wrong?" Sirius' could tell something was bugging his friend.  
  
"Nothing." James hissed as he and Sirius sat at the same table. The divination room never changed. It had been the same ever since Professor Trelawny moved in. It was in an attic room; there were twenty or so small round tables, each surrounded by comfy arm chairs and overstuffed poufs.  
  
"Yes, something. Tell me." Sirius hissed back.  
  
"Later." James muttered as Trelawny started the day's lesson. Today, the seventh years were working on trances. For most of the class, they just pretended. The only person that the class knew wasn't pretending was Lily Evans. It was from her that the class learned what a real trance looked like; so they copied almost exactly what she did. First, Lily relaxed herself. Then she closed her eyes and slowly drifted through the levels of meditation, which she swore that you could feel. Once at the 7th level, Lily explained to the Gryffindors, you were in a trance and visions would just come and go. Today, Lily managed to keep her concentration long enough to go into a trance.  
  
[I] "Lily! Take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off-" James Potter's voice filled Lily's head. She could see him pushing a slightly older version of herself and a black haired, green-eyed baby out the door.  
  
"James! Come with me! I can never leave you!" the vision Lily, holding the baby, cried and begged.  
  
"Go!" James said brutally and shoved the Lily out of the room. The real Lily followed the vision Lily up to the baby's nursery. Grabbing her wand and the diaper bag, the vision Lily conjured a fire in the fireplace to floo. As she was ready to go, the fight shaking the floor beneath her stopped with a frighteningly loud thud. The vision Lily swayed visibly. "James." the Lily moaned, but took a deep breath, ready to throw the glistening green powder in the fire. The door burst open, revealing a tall, thin man with vivid red eyes and deathly pale skin.  
  
"Give me the boy." A high, cold voice came from the man. It didn't suit him at all.  
  
"Never." The vision Lily narrowed her eyes and stood up straight, dropping the diaper bag, and putting Harry in his crib in the corner. The Lily stood in front of it.  
  
"Step aside!" The man advanced on her.  
  
"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please not Harry!" The vision Lily started panicking.  
  
"Stand aside, you silly girl. stand aside, now." The man advanced further, pulling his wand from inside his block robes.  
  
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-" The vision Lily stood her ground and protected her son as the intruder that had obviously killed James slowly came closer.  
  
"Not Harry! Please. have mercy. have mercy." The Lily sobbed. Her son was the only thing she had left. Voldemort had killed her husband, killed her family except a sister who hated her, and was destroying her house with every step he made.  
  
"I have no mercy. Step aside NOW!" The man seemed to have lost his patience.  
  
"Never!" The Lily seemed to gain her courage back. As she raised her wand, the man killed her with a single curse. [/I]  
  
As the Lily fell to the floor, the real Lily screamed as she realized she was witnessing her own death. The next thing the real Lily knew was a swirling blackness and someone was tapping her cheek, hard. With fluttering eyes, Lily slowly came into consciousness. Trelawny and the whole class were looking at her expectantly.  
  
"What did you see my dear? You were silent and still until you screamed and fell onto the floor." Professor Trelawny seemed excited. Lily then noticed that she was, indeed, on the floor; not only that, but also that she had a splitting headache, and a sore back.  
  
"Nothing, nothing. May I go to the hospital wing? I have a terrible headache." Lily mumbled, massaging her temples.  
  
"Nothing? I hardly say screaming and falling out of your chair is nothing. Tell us what you saw!" Trelawny pleaded.  
  
"I saw my violent death. And my future husband's. And probably my child's. May I go to the hospital wing now?" Lily snapped, sitting up.  
  
"Yes, yes you may. Mr. Potter, please accompany her." Trelawny said softly, wishing that she hadn't asked. Trelawny knew that when you know what is in store for you, life could become unbearable. Helping her up, James escorted Lily to the Hospital Wing, the two of them not saying a word. At the Hospital Wing, James led Lily to a chair and had her sit. Then, he went in search of the young nurse, Madam Pomfrey.  
  
"Mr. Potter, what have you done now?" The nurse smiled when she saw James.  
  
"Not me this time. Its Lily Evans- she had this vision in divination, fell out of her seat and woke up with a splitting headache. What she said she saw was rather unnerving, I thought you'd like to know." James said quietly as he led the nurse to Lily. When the pair came up to Lily, she was holding her head in her hands and sobbing like there was no tomorrow.  
  
"Oh dear." Madam Pomfrey said and sat down next to Lily. James kept his distance, watching from the doorway. The nurse persuaded Lily to let her change her clothes in the hospital pajamas and get into one of the beds. Madam Pomfrey gave Lily a potion for a dreamless sleep and went to talk to the headmaster- Lily needed more than bed rest and hopefully, Professor Dumbledore would know what to do.  
  
"Lil, would you like me to stay?" James came over to the bed Lily was in, after Pomfrey had left.  
  
"That would be nice." Lily looked up at James with grateful eyes. Somehow, James just knew that Lily was afraid to go to sleep, even if it was supposed to be dreamless. Lily took her horrible tasting potion and felt sleepy instantly. She made a face at the taste and James chuckled slightly. The next thing Lily knew was the irresistible pull of sleep and then she was asleep within a minute of taking the potion. Smiling to himself, James sat down and pulled out a book. He might as well wait here, because there was only an hour of divination left and he had a good excuse to stay. He promised Lily that he would. Lily Evans. James didn't know why this girl made him act this way. In fact, he knew almost nothing about her. He remembered her from previous years, but not really. He hadn't really noticed her presence until this year.  
  
[I] 'She's beautiful' [/I] James thought to himself, looking over at the sleeping form in the bed. Lily was indeed pretty. Her waist-length reddish auburn hair fanned out beneath her, her glasses were on the side table next to her, and Lily had an expression of peacefulness on her face. Not many people saw past her messy hair, ratty clothes (on dress down days- her uniform was always pristine) and glasses. James saw Lily at her weakest, most vulnerable moment. Just laying there, Lily couldn't possibly shy away from anyone- which was her defense when things might not go the way she wanted them to.  
  
Lily woke up, about an hour later. She was more than surprised to see James Potter sitting in a chair next to her bed, reading a book.  
  
"You're awake. I'll go tell Madam Pomfrey." James smiled and walked off, in search of the nurse. [I] 'I'm dreaming, I have to be. James couldn't have stayed by my bedside that whole time. An hour. Well, that's not too bad. Divination should be getting out about now. It was awfully nice of him to stay though.' [/I] Lily thought to herself as she retrieved her glasses and watch from the bedside table. James soon returned with the nurse in tow.  
  
"Miss Evans, the headmaster would like to talk to you. Mr. Potter, if you would be so kind as to escort her there, it would be appreciated very much." Madam Pomfrey was bustling about, checking Lily's vital signs and such.  
  
"Of course." James answered her. With the wave of Pomfrey's wand, Lily was wearing her uniform again and was led to the headmaster's office by James.  
  
"I've got to get going, will you be ok?" James asked Lily once he had seen her safely to the stone griffin behind which was the entrance to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Yes. Oh, and thank you for staying with me in the hospital wing. That place gives me the creeps." Lily smiled up at James. She noticed how very tall he was. Granted she was short, but James had to be at least 6'4"- a good ten inches taller than Lily.  
  
"It was nothing. I didn't want to be in Divination anyway." James winked and left Lily as she gave the password to the griffin, causing it come alive and jump aside, revealing the door. Going inside, Lily found herself in a corridor. At the end of the short hallway, a magnificent stone spiral staircase went up. Stepping on it, it carried her to the top- about two floors. She stepped off and found herself facing a doorway. Hesitating slightly, Lily knocked on the door three times. Lily remembered the last time she had been in here. It was the year before, when her parents had been murdered by an evil dark wizard that called himself Voldemort, and the headmaster had to decide what to do with Lily's future. Shaking her head to rid herself of these horrible thoughts, Lily opened the door when she heard the professor's voice beckon her to enter. Lily walked in and sat in a chair facing the headmaster, who was sitting at his desk. In the corner, there was a phoenix, and an exceptionally beautiful one at that. Around the room were lots of portraits of previous headmasters, all of them snoozing in their frames.  
  
"Miss Evans, I have been informed that you had a vision during Divination today, where you witnessed your own death? As well as your future family's?" Professor Dumbledore fixed Lily with a piercing gaze.  
  
"Yes sir." Lily still had no clue why she was here.  
  
"Would you mind telling me about it? You may feel better afterwards, one usually does." Dumbledore smiled kindly. Relieved, Lily spent the next fifteen minutes explaining her vision to the headmaster, not leaving a single detail out.  
  
"I see. Did you tell James?" Dumbledore asked after Lily had finished. True to his word, Lily did feel better after spilling her story to him.  
  
"No, I thought it wasn't something I should share." Lily answered quietly.  
  
"Good. I must ask you not to tell anyone, as it could have catastrophic effects. I suggest you just forget about this or put it in the back of your mind, and get on with your life; afterall, you have much to live for." Dumbledore advised her.  
  
"Yes, sir. I won't even tell Jessie." Lily answered dutifully.  
  
"I imagine it will be a tough secret to kept from one's best friend. Good luck, and don't dwell on this- it will only cause you harm." Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Yes, sir. I'll be going now. I'm late to my second class already, and on the first day, too." Lily grinned and stood up. Dumbledore gave her a note to give to the charms teacher, Professor Flitwick, excusing her from being late. Lily went to class and gave her note and hurried apologies to the teacher. She took her usual seat next to Jessica, who was surveying her friend oddly.  
  
"Where were you?" Jess whispered in Lily's ear after they had been released to practice the charm they were learning.  
  
"Hospital Wing, then Dumbledore's office- I'll explain later." Lily whispered back as James and Sirius came over to the two girls.  
  
"Hey Lily, feeling better?" James asked kindly.  
  
"Yeah. Thanks so much for staying with me." Lily grinned. James went a bit red as Sirius looked questioningly towards James.  
  
"Oh, it was nothing. Divination was boring anyway. You're the only person who has gone into a real trance." James tried to sound impasse.  
  
"Yeah, unfortunately." Lily sighed.  
  
"So what did you see?" Jess asked as soon as James and Sirius began to work on the charm.  
  
"I'm sorry, but Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone, you included." Lily tried the charm, getting it perfect on the first try. The charm they were working on were conjuring charms for items you have somewhere else in the building. Lily had conjured her brush from her dormitory- her hair was getting knotted. While Lily's hair was messy, it was never knotted, as she couldn't stand working around large knots in her hair. Lily brushed her hair while Jess tried futilely to conjure her handbag from across the room.  
  
"Can you at least tell me what it was about? Like an outline maybe?" Jess tried, she really wanted to know what was so important that James stayed with her in the Hospital Wing.  
  
"I saw. my death. And my future family's." Lily said quietly, so only Jess could hear. Jess nearly dropped her wand when Lily said that.  
  
"Oh Lily, I'm so sorry!" Jess really sounded it. Then she cracked a mischievous grin, "Did you at least see who your future husband was?"  
  
"Jess!" Lily was exasperated.  
  
"What?" Jess shrugged  
  
"You're being insensitive." Lily pointed out.  
  
"So? At least you know who you're gonna marry." Jess explained.  
  
"You're right. but I'm still not telling you. Nope. I told Dumbledore I wouldn't tell anyone about it." Lily maintained.  
  
"You're no fun." Jess joked and got to work on the charm. While Lily had gotten it right on the first time, everyone else was having a much harder time. Lily giggled quietly as Jess got the contents of her handbag, but the handbag was still across the room.  
  
"If you're so smart, then why don't you do it?" Jess snapped, picking up all the junk on the floor.  
  
"Fine." And with that, Lily conjured her bag, her tape player, and a lollipop she had in her dorm. Smiling, Lily put her headphones on, stuck the tape player in her bag, and unwrapped her candy.  
  
"See?" Lily winked at her friend.  
  
"This is NOT fair!" Jess whined loudly, causing several to look in the girl's direction- all of them looked depressed when they saw Lily eating candy and listening to her muggle music (Lily had found a spell that would enable it to work inside Hogwarts).  
  
"Hey Lily, how do you do this right?" Sirius called Lily over, waving to her to catch her attention. Nodding, Lily got up and walked over to the Marauders.  
  
"What do ya need?" Lily asked, pulling her lollipop out her mouth and turning down the volume on her tape player.  
  
"Candy would be nice." Sirius joked. "No, actually we need help with the charm, since you obviously have it down pat." Sirius asked nicely.  
  
"Please?" James added.  
  
"Sure. Ok, here's the deal: You raise your wand. Say the incantation, think about the desired item, and don't forget to swish and flick." Lily held her lollipop as she explained. Pulling out her wand, Lily demonstrated, conjuring a quill from her bag.  
  
"Ok." Peter Pettigrew, a short, rat faced boy, answered apprehensively. Peter was part of the Marauders, mostly because he tagged along with them. Peter wasn't very good at magic- he stunk, in fact.  
  
"Try it." Lily told him, popping her candy back in her mouth. Doing as Lily said, all four boys tried the charm, copying Lily's manner. James and Remus got it their first try. Sirius got half a quill, and Peter's charm did nothing.  
  
"Try it again, make sure you're saying it right." Lily added. Sirius and Peter tried again. Sirius got it right, and Peter got half a rubber chicken.  
  
"Hey! That better be whole by the time class ends!" Sirius threatened Peter.  
  
"Cool it. Here." Lily performed a spell to reverse other spells gone awry. The chicken was whole.  
  
"See? All better now." Lily handed Sirius the rubber chicken.  
  
"Why did you try to summon it anyway?" Sirius asked Peter.  
  
"I didn't. I wanted my textbook that I left in our dorm." Peter mumbled.  
  
"That's ok. Try concentrating hard and make sure you're saying it right." Lily worked with Peter the rest of the period- he finally got the charm with about five minutes left to the period.  
  
"Thanks so much." Peter thanked her for the millionth time.  
  
"No biggie. I was just gonna listen to my music all period and eat candy anyway. Not that I need it." Lily muttered the last part, almost angrily.  
  
"Hey, come sit with us today, during lunch." Remus offered, as Lily and Peter came over to the group- James, Remus, Sirius and Jess. Lily looked at Jess, who shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, sure." Lily answered, grinning. Suddenly, an idea struck her. "That's it!" She practically shouted, getting odd looks from the members of the group standing around her. "Oh this is perfect!" Lily was talking to herself as she quickly sat down at a desk, pulled out parchment, ink, and a quill.  
  
"Do you mind enlightening us on whatever this is about?" James joked, leaning over Lily as she scribbled words onto the parchment.  
  
"Marauder's Song." James read the heading Lily wrote. "You write music?" James asked, surprised.  
  
"More than that, she sings them. We have a band- Sunset Moon. Lily plays guitar, I play bass guitar, and Christy Langtow of Ravenclaw plays drums." Jess answered, knowing Lily was too absorbed in writing to listen to anyone.  
  
"You have a band?" It was Remus' turn to be surprised.  
  
"Yeah. Lily and I write the music, Christy manages us and gets us gigs." Jess nodded. "You guys, obviously, are the inspiration for Lily's new song. She's had the tune in her head for days, she just didn't have lyrics, yet." Jess added.  
  
"Interesting. What kind of music do you play?" James asked, interested.  
  
"Whatever Lily writes. Mostly what she calls Alternative Rock. Whatever that is." Jess rolled her eyes as the bell rang. Lily took no notice as the students started filing out of the classroom. Sighing, Jess went back and pulled Lily out of the room. Shrugging, Lily kept on writing her song, Jess leading her through the corridors to the Great Hall for lunch, where they joined the Marauders.  
  
"So when do we get to hear our song?" Sirius inquired regally.  
  
"Whenever we play next." Jess answered, putting much less food on her plate compared to everyone else.  
  
"And that would be?" Peter was still confused, like always.  
  
"She doesn't know." Remus explained.  
  
"Oh." Peter shrugged and started to eat.  
  
"Done." Lily finally looked up, grinning, from the now messy, scribbled on piece of parchment.  
  
"Great. When do you want to sing it for us?" Sirius grinned.  
  
"When's the next Gryffindor party? We will agree to a free gig if you have one just for us." Lily offered.  
  
"Done. Next week. Be ready on two hours notice to set up." James settled the agreement. Christy Langtow then took this opportunity to came over and talk with Lily and Jess.  
  
"Hey. Guess what!" Christy sat down, squeezing in between James and Sirius.  
  
"What?" Lily sounded interested. Jess was busy talking to Remus.  
  
"I got us a gig! A paying one!" Christy grinned.  
  
"Awesome! Where? Oh, and I got us our own party to play at- Gryffindor tower next week. Its not paying, but its specifically for us." Christy's smiled widened when Lily said that.  
  
"Really? Sweet! Anyway, next Hogsmeade trip, we're playing at the Three Broomsticks." Christy revealed.  
  
"That's great! All the good bands start at the Three Broomsticks!" Lily said excitedly.  
  
"That's really cool. Hey, you can play our song there." James nodded.  
  
"Song?" Christy was confused. "What song?"  
  
"Lily just wrote us a song. We haven't heard it yet, though. That's why we're throwing a party for you next week. Hell, scratch that, make it this weekend. Friday night." Sirius stroked his chin. James and Peter nodded in agreement. Remus and Jess were so absorbed talking with each other that they didn't hear a thing.  
  
"Can't do Friday, James and I have detention." Lily grumbled.  
  
"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot." James grinned. "How about Saturday night instead?" he proposed.  
  
"What's Saturday night?" Jess asked, looking up (finally) from her conversation.  
  
"A party in our honor, where we will be debuting Marauder's song." Lily poked her in the side.  
  
"Ow! Ok, ok, I get it. We need to practice every night this week. Meet in the entrance hall after dinner and we'll find a classroom?" Jess clarified.  
  
"Sure." Christy and Lily agreed.  
  
"Can we come hear you practice?" James asked, interested as always.  
  
"If you want to." Lily shrugged.  
  
"I'll be there." James and Remus answered at the same time.  
  
"Awesome." Lily said, finally beginning to eat. The rest of the day passed fairly quickly, both Lily and James were thinking of that night. Slipping off to the girls' room, Jess and Lily went there to talk.  
  
"Can you believe it! He's has [I]SO[/I] noticed you! He's coming tonight to see you practice!" Jess squealed as soon as the door had shut. The two girls were freshening up in front of the mirrors (Lily half as much as Jess).  
  
"I know." Lily sighed dreamily. Lily thought back to right after she had gotten out of McGonagall's classroom, when James had kissed her.  
  
"You're keeping something from me. Spill." Jess put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Well." Lily trailed off.  
  
"Tell me." Jess remained firm.  
  
"He kissed me." Lily gave her a small smile.  
  
"HE DID?! Where was I when this happened?" Jess lowered he voice after realizing how loud she had been.  
  
"It was on the way to divination. I was apologizing for him getting detention and one thing lead to another. And he kissed me." Lily's smile grew wider.  
  
"That's wonderful! And he stayed with you at the hospital wing, and now he's coming to see you practice! He likes you!" Jess grinned.  
  
"I hope so." Lily grinned back at her friend.  
  
"He may not know it himself, yet, but he so likes you. There's no 'I hope' about it!" Jess giggled.  
  
"I guess I should brush my hair, maybe make it neater?" Lily looked at Jess for confirmation.  
  
"Go for it." Jess smiled. Lily shrugged, pulled out her brush she had conjured during charms, and brushed her hair until it was perfectly neat, for once.  
  
"Shall we? We have to get down to dinner. Remus wants us to sit with the Marauders from now on." Jess walked out the door, Lily by her side.  
  
"Really?" Lily grinned. "Today has been the best day of my so far pathetic life." Lily said confidently.  
  
"I have no doubt about that." Jess laughed.  
  
Meanwhile, on their way to the Great Hall.  
  
"So, James, when are you going to ask Lily out, eh?" Sirius asked his best friend.  
  
"What are you talking about?" James waded though a crowd of first years heading in the opposite direction.  
  
"You and Lily. Its so obvious. You passed notes with her, have detention with her, stayed with her when she was in the hospital wing, and now you're going to see her band practice? You like her, my man, a lot." Sirius explained.  
  
"Come off it, Sirius. When have I ever paid attention to her before?" James asked, waiting for a group of Hufflepuffs to cross the corridor.  
  
"Never. But you have been spending a lot of time with her the past two days. And you know that she's wanted you since first year." Sirius added.  
  
"No she hasn't. You're making all this up in your head." James shook his own head, progressing to the doors of the great hall.  
  
"I'm telling you, you two would make a cute couple. She's a nice girl James, think about it." Sirius implored.  
  
"Maybe." James answered as he took his usual seat at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"See? If it was anyone else you would have said no. Admit it my friend, you want her." Sirius grinned as Lily and Jess entered the Hall with Remus. Peter was nowhere to be found. James was forced to not reply as Lily, Jess and Remus came over.  
  
"You guys sitting with us again?" James asked nicely.  
  
"Yeah, Jess just can't stand to be away from Remus." Lily rolled her eyes and took a seat across from James.  
  
"They make you sick too?" James winked at Lily.  
  
"Oh yeah, you bet. Can't they keep their hands off each other, at least while we're eating?" Lily grinned.  
  
"Nope." Remus decreed and gave Jess a huge hug just to make everyone groan, which they did.  
  
"There they go again." Sirius rolled his eyes. Dinner was a pleasant affair, Sirius shooting sidelong glances at James, who was talking animatedly with Lily most of the time. Sirius smiled, James may not admit it, but he really liked the petite redhead. Sirius, knowledgeable in the subtle science of girls, also knew that Lily had liked James since first year just from how she had been acting around him. Something was different this year, and Sirius couldn't quite place his finger on it.  
  
"Padfoot, dear friend, it seems a miracle hath occurred. You were actually thinking." James joked, clapping Sirius on the back, deterring him from his thoughts.  
  
"Yes, Prongs, I do that once in a while. You just don't often see me." Sirius smirked.  
  
"I'm bored. Have any new ideas that we could use tonight? After band practice, of course." James smiled at Lily, who positively beamed.  
  
"I have one. but I won't tell you quite yet. nope. I'll tell you later." Sirius stroked his chin.  
  
"There you go again, stroking your imaginary goatee." Lily joked. James and Sirius chuckled.  
  
"Where do you come up with this stuff?" James shook his head.  
  
"Enh, inspiration moves me." Lily shrugged.  
  
"Riiight." Sirius nodded, pretending to understand.  
  
"You see, I usually say the first thing that comes to my mind- something usually inspires me to say it. Like you and your imaginary goatee." Lily explained.  
  
"If you say so." Sirius conceded.  
  
"I do." Lily nodded, drawing slight chuckles from James and Sirius. "Well I'm done. Jess, you almost done? I think I see Christy heading for the Entrance Hall." Lily tapped her friend on the shoulder.  
  
"What? Oh, yeah, sure." Jess stood up, having barely eaten anything.  
  
"Hold on, you didn't eat much. I don't like your eating habits." Remus caught Jess' arm, as she stood up.  
  
"Remus, do you really think we'll have band practice without anything to eat? Band practice is junk food central, besides a slumber party." Jess told him.  
  
"Awesome. If I wasn't busy, I'd go. Maybe tomorrow night I'll go, if I can." Sirius grinned.  
  
"You're busy?" James turned to his best friend, standing up.  
  
"Yes, Prongs old buddy. I have to prepare for our little stunt after you get back. 8 o'clock if they're not done yet. In our dorm." Sirius grin turned evil.  
  
"I can't wait then." James clapped him on the back and left the hall with Lily, Remus and Jess. In the Entrance Hall, they found Christy waiting.  
  
"Ready?" Lily called Christy over.  
  
"Yep." Christy answered and the group left the hall. They found a suitable classroom down the charms corridor. Lily cast a soundproofing charm on the room so that you could only hear the music inside the room. Lily shut the door and Christy conjured her drumset. Lily conjured both her and Jess' guitars (Jess still hadn't mastered the conjuring charm), and all the magical equipment they used instead of muggle amps and such. With another wave of Lily's wand, all of it was set up. Wowed at Lily's ability, James and Remus pulled up two chairs that had been pushed along the wall with the unused desks. Spinning the chair around, James sat in his backwards.  
  
"Ok, now you guys remember the new song from the other day? Well now it has words. We'll do it twice through without, then I'll begin with lead vocals- Jess, we have to work on the back up. Let's get started." Lily began practice. Christy counted beats and the girls began the song. James and Remus were surprised at how very good they were. Lily could play the guitar like no other, and Christy was superb on the drums. The bass was also quite good- thank you Jess. After getting the song right without words, Lily began singing the words she had wrote that day, and boy, could she sing. Lily had a wonderful voice, the kind that could sing pop music and show tunes. Singing her best, Lily looked at James for some kind of hint at what he thought. All she could tell was that he was impressed. It was practically written all over his face.  
  
[I]'Lily's hair looks nice. She really belongs on stage, just look at her. Damn, she's hott up there.'[/I] James thought to himself wistfully. [I] 'Maybe Sirius is right.I do like her. What's that she's singing? Dear lord, she did write that about us. We've treated her like dirt these past few years.' [/I] Remus interrupted James' thoughts by whispering "They're good, aren't they?"  
  
"Yeah, they're great." James whispered back as the girls finished the song.  
  
"So how'd you like it?" Lily asked, bursting to know what James thought.  
  
"Excellent." Remus nodded in approval.  
  
"You guys definitely have a future in music." James grinned. Lily was quite relieved that he thought that much of the song.  
  
"Thanks. Hey, you guys have to run, if you're meeting Sirius at eight." Lily spotted the clock on the wall. She remembered that Sirius asked for the boys to be back at eight so they could pull some stupid prank.  
  
"What? Oh yeah, that. We'll be going then Good job!" James called as he walked out of the room, winking at Lily as he passed. [I] 'I'll talk to Sirius about her. he'll know what I should do.' [/I] James thought to himself as he waited for Remus to catch up. James was in Gryffindor Tower when Remus finally got back.  
  
Traveling up to their dorm, James and Remus found Sirius there. He was pouring over an old, square piece of parchment.  
  
"So what's the deal?" James asked.  
  
"I have come up with the ultimate prank." Sirius looked up from the parchment, grinning.  
  
"Great! What are we going to do?" Remus asked excitedly.  
  
"We are going to steal diaries. Anybody's that you want. I'm trying to see if the Marauder's Map can help us in locating the diaries." Sirius turned back to the parchment. He tapped it once with his wand, and a bold scrawl filled the page. Directions to Peter's diary were written on the parchment.  
  
"Yes! Ok, it works. You think of the item you want, and directions will be written out from exactly where you are!" Sirius said happily.  
  
"Now the question is, whose do you want to steal." James pointed out.  
  
"I want Snape's. Then we can see what that slimy git thinks about. Excellent black-mail material too." Sirius grinned.  
  
"Jess' diary." Remus decided.  
  
"I'll go for Lily's." James took a moment to come to his decision.  
  
"Ok, James, we'll need your cloak. You and Remus go now while they are in band practice. Here's the map. Good luck and don't get caught." Sirius handed the parchment to Remus while James went to his trunk and took out a silvery cloak. He threw it on himself and disappeared from sight. Remus walked over to James and slipped under the silvery/invisible cloak too. Sirius opened the door and went down to the common room. James and Remus followed, only turning up the girl's stair case once they had reached the common room.  
  
"Which dorm is theirs?" James whispered to Remus.  
  
"This one." Remus pulled James into the third door they had reached. Thankfully, no one was inside. Pulling out the map, James tapped it with his wand.  
  
"She keeps it in a locked box in her side table." James whispered and the two boys walked over to the specified bedside table. Opening the drawer, James found the ornate wooden box easily. There was a Celtic knot carved into the lid.  
  
"Alohomora." James whispered and the lock to the box clicked open. James stealthily removed the diary and locked the box, putting it back in its spot. Taking the map from James, Remus tapped it with his own wand.  
  
"Under her bed." Remus and James slipped over to the bed specified by the map as Jess' bed, and Remus grabbed it after searching for a moment.  
  
"Let's get out of here." James whispered and the two boys exited the room and crept back to their dorm.  
  
Throwing off the cloak, the boys exchanged high-fives when they were safely in their dorm.  
  
"I take it you found them ok?" Sirius looked amused.  
  
"Yep. Here's the map and cloak. Have fun! Now I'm gonna read what is in this diary." James gave Sirius the parchment and the invisibility cloak and flopped on his own bed, and opened the diary.  
  
"Sweet. A muggle one. No having to make up excuses." James grinned and began reading. The diary started on the day Lily first arrived at school, 7 years ago. James was soon absorbed in Lily's diary. He didn't notice Sirius leave or his return. Remus was pretty much the same way with Jess' diary. James was surprised to find that Lily wrote about him a lot in her diary. All their pranks were carefully documented, along with almost everything James had ever said to Lily, which wasn't much.  
  
[I] 'Wow, Sirius was right. She's liked me for a long time.and I've paid no attention to her.' [/I] James thought to himself. An hour and a half later, James was at Lily's diary entry for that day. [I] 'She must have written it during afternoon free time.' [/I] James decided.  
  
[I] Dear Diary,  
  
Today has been the BEST day of my LIFE! James Potter not only talked with me, has detention with me, but he KISSED ME! Diary, he actually kissed me. I had the most horrible experience in Divination today- I went into a trance, as always. But this time the vision was real, I mean it actually pertained to me! I can't write what happened, but James was in it. I severely hope that it doesn't come true. I would hate to meet my end that way. At least, if it is true, I'll die protecting my child. I think his name was Harry. Isn't that just the cutest name for a little black haired boy? He had my eyes- a pretty green. Diary, I can't wait to get married. I just hope I'll find my someone soon. Maybe it will be James! Wouldn't that be a laugh? And another great thing that happened today- James stayed with me for the hour that I was asleep in the Hospital wing- I had to go there after my trance. He must have known somehow that the hospital wing scares me. And worst of all, I was still shook up from my trace. Boy, was I a state of nerves! I nearly forgot to tell you, James is coming to band practice tonight- hopefully he's there because of me! I still can't believe he kissed me. Me, of all people! Things are really turning around, diary. Maybe he's actually noticed me. I'm not sure yet if I'll let Jess give me a makeover. She's been bugging me for [U]years[/U] about it. If James will notice me more, maybe I'll let her; but I'll have to do something so it won't look like I'm doing it just for a boy. That would just make me look silly. Maybe I'll make a bet? Ugh, I have to go, diary- time for dinner.  
  
Love always,  
  
Lily [/I]  
  
James was astounded. Lily really liked him, and for a very long time too. [I] 'I gotta think this over. She's a nice girl and all, I just don't know.' [/I] James thought to himself. He looked at his watch. It was 9:30 p.m.  
  
"Crap! We have got to get these diaries back before the girls get back from practice." James' realized.  
  
"You're right! If we don't return them, its certain death if they found out we read them." Remus jumped off his own bed and grabbed the map and cloak. Throwing it over himself and James, the two of them sped to the girls' dormitories. James and Remus put the diaries back in their respectful places and slipped out the door just as Lily and Jess were coming up the stairs. Not even breathing, James and Remus pressed themselves against the wall and waited for the girls to pass. Once they had, James and Remus snuck back to their dorm.  
  
"Man, that was close." James sighed as he put the map and cloak in his trunk.  
  
"So what did Lily write about in her diary?" Sirius sat up on his bed and looked at James.  
  
"Um, nothing interesting." James went a bit red.  
  
"So she wrote about you, huh? Good sign, good sign. When are you going to ask her out?" Sirius grinned.  
  
"Just because I kiss a girl doesn't mean I have to go out with her." James defended himself as he sat on his own bed.  
  
"You kissed her? When did this happen?" Remus raised an eyebrow. He was sitting in the chair to the desk.  
  
"This morning. It was no big deal." James turned bright red.  
  
"Yes it was. Just look at you! You're blushing because of a girl." Sirius pointed out.  
  
"So?" James couldn't think of a better come back.  
  
"James, you want her, just admit it. She's geeky, so what?" Remus shrugged.  
  
"I guess." James fell back on his bed so that he was laying on his back.  
  
"So what did she write about you in her diary?" Sirius wanted to know.  
  
"Can't tell you." James rolled onto his stomach.  
  
"Yes you can. What did she write about the love of her life?" Sirius joked.  
  
"Everything." James grumbled and pulled his bed curtains shut, even though it wasn't even 10 o'clock.  
  
"What is everything?" Remus asked.  
  
"Goodnight." James told them from behind the curtains.  
  
"Are you sleeping in your clothes then?" Sirius wondered.  
  
"Yes." James answered angrily.  
  
"Oh come on, James, lighten up! At least do you want to hear what Snape wrote in his? Something very interesting. good blackmail." Sirius tried to tempt his friend.  
  
"No. I'm trying to sleep." James grumbled.  
  
"No you're not. It's barely 10. Come on, I think you'll like to hear this." Sirius argued.  
  
"Fine. What is it?" James pulled his curtains aside.  
  
"It seems Snapey fancies the head girl too." Sirius smirked. "And he plans to ask her to the farewell ball, along with any dances that may be held. James, I suggest you ask her out before dear Snapey does." Sirius grinned as James paled slightly.  
  
"Fine, fine. I'll ask her. But what if she says no?" James worried.  
  
"James, this girl has loved you since she first saw you. There is no way that she'll say no." Remus told him, exasperated. James' eyes widened at the word loved.  
  
"Loved? Unh-uh. No way. I can't do this." James started pulling his curtains shut again. Sirius stopped him.  
  
"James, give the girl a chance. She really likes you, and you know you want her. Match made in heaven. Besides, what do you have to lose? She is a bit geeky, but no big deal. Maybe Jess will dress her up sometime. I bet Lily would be really pretty then." Sirius persuaded James.  
  
"She is." James said without thinking.  
  
"What?" Sirius and Remus asked, confused.  
  
"Hospital Wing. She had her hair down and glasses off. She's really pretty." James started to blush again.  
  
"Yeah, besides, what girl doesn't want to go out with a jock? And you're quidditch captain- you have been for the last three years." Remus went back to the topic from before.  
  
"Just ask her, James, there's nothing to worry about." Sirius tried to end James' stupid excuses.  
  
"But-" James began.  
  
"No buts. How about you and Lily see if you can plan some kind of dance for Halloween. You can ask her to go with you. And don't forget this Saturday night we are throwing a party for her band. You can ask her to go with you to Hogsmeade to get the stuff. There are a million ways to ask a girl out James, you should know this. You've had girlfriends before, and you've never stressed this much about asking a girl out. Just chill." Sirius cut James off.  
  
"Ok. I'm chilling. Just-" James was cut off again.  
  
"Nope. Just ask her. Stop making excuses and stressing." Remus rolled his eyes. Here was James Potter, the most popular, sought-after guy at Hogwarts and he was stressing over asking a girl, a nerdy, geeky girl, out?  
  
"Its not that simple." James muttered.  
  
"And why is that? Are you truly serious about her then? You don't have to be until you want to give her a ring." Sirius pointed out.  
  
"I know, I know. But- I just can't explain." James shrugged.  
  
"Fine, then don't. If you don't ask her out, by tomorrow, I'll dare you to. And I have never known James Potter to turn down a dare- EVER." Sirius threatened. Sirius was right; he had never turned down a dare- James even played a game of exploding snap in his boxers in the common room when tons of students were there in their fifth year just because Sirius dared him to.  
  
"Whatever." James closed his bed curtains and thought about the conversation he and his friends just had. Why was he stressing over asking Lily out? It wasn't like he hadn't asked a girl out before- he had done it hundred of times. James had a natural finesse with women- and girls fell all over him all the time. What was so different about Lily Evans? She even admitted to her diary she was in love with him, why did James have such a hard time with that?  
  
"Because I love her too." James whispered to himself, the realization dawning on him. He didn't just like Lily Evans, he loved her. Everything about her- her smile, her shy demeanor, her personality, her smartness; just everything thing about her. Even though he knew almost nothing about her, except that her parents were killed last year, James loved Lily.  
  
"James, we did NOT just hear that." Sirius' voice startled James from his thoughts.  
  
"Hear what?" James asked puzzled. He didn't realize he had said anything aloud.  
  
"You love her? James, my man, you're gone." Sirius answered.  
  
"Damn it! Sirius, Remus, you two had better not tell anyone! I'll personally rip your heads off." James threatened, ripping back his curtains.  
  
"Whoa, there. Easy now, we won't tell anyone. We swear on the Marauder's code." Sirius dropped his usual joking attitude and replaced it with a serious one. Sirius couldn't joke about the Marauder's code anyway, it was what kept the Marauders together for so long. The code basically said that they wouldn't betray each other or break a promise, and that they'll be friends forever.  
  
"Good." James lay back down on his bed. There was a knock on the door and the three boys practically jumped out of their skins.  
  
"Who is it?" Sirius managed to call out.  
  
"Lily." Came the answer. James blanched, and Sirius snickered at him. Both boys thought Lily knew that James had read her diary.  
  
"What can we do for you?" Sirius asked, opening the door. Lily was in her pajamas (a pair of extra large lounge pants and a spaghetti strap tank), her hair down and looking rather nice.  
  
"James had said he wanted a tattoo, I just wanted to let him know that the henna is ready. The paste lasts for a few days in the fridge." Lily smiled. The three boys in the room looked considerably relieved. Lily briefly wondered what their prank was.  
  
"I'm coming. I'll be down in a minute." James turned to get something out of his trunk.  
  
"Kay" Lily left the doorway and traveled to the common room. As soon as she was gone, James stopped rummaging and let out a huge sigh of relief.  
  
"I thought I was done for." James said, sitting back on his bed.  
  
"Me too." Remus shook his head.  
  
"The look on your face was way too funny!" Sirius chuckled.  
  
"Shut it. Now, I'm gonna ask her. I hope." James paled at the thought.  
  
"James, don't worry. You will be fine!" Remus pulled James to his feet.  
  
"But-" James began again.  
  
"Just get down there!" Sirius pushed James out the door. James shrugged his shoulders and went down to the common room, where he found Lily sitting on a couch by the fire. She appeared to be lost in thought.  
  
"Lily?" James startled her.  
  
"Oh, hey. You still want a snitch on your shoulder?" Lily questioned, smiling.  
  
"Nah. I was thinking maybe you could surprise me." James grinned.  
  
"Are you sure?" Lily raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I trust you." James shrugged, sitting down next to her.  
  
"Ok, then. Roll up your sleeve to your shoulder." Lily decided. James did as he was told, using his right arm. Lily got out a small bottle of body oil and put some on a small cloth. She wiped his upper bicep with the oil and placed the cloth back on the table. Lily got out her makeshift tube of henna, and began writing. She wrote 'Quidditch Fiend' and underneath she did a cool sideways flame design.  
  
"Can I look now?" James asked when Lily sat back.  
  
"Of course." Lily grinned.  
  
"This is awesome!" James exclaimed as he looked down at it.  
  
"Ok, now you have to let it sit until it dries. Then I put on the lemon and sugar, then you have to let it sit for two hours." Lily told him.  
  
"Cool." James nodded. "I like the song you wrote for us." James smiled at Lily.  
  
"Oh, well, thank you. It just came to me." Lily blushed.  
  
"Your band is really good." James complimented her.  
  
"Thanks. We've been working hard. I just have to get over my stage fright now." Lily's blush deepened.  
  
"Well, my trick is either ignore the audience or just to concentrate on one person." James advised her.  
  
"I'll try that." A small smile played at the corners of her mouth.  
  
"Now that I have a tattoo, would you like one? I'm sure I could duplicate anything you want." James tempted Lily.  
  
"Sure. Do what you want- nothing obscene though." Lily smiled and turned so her back faced him. She swept her hair up of her neck and let it hang in front of her shoulder. Grinning, James took the body oil sodden cloth and wiped her between her shoulders.  
  
"Now, what to do?" James pondered a loud. He started with a sun, with spidery flames shooting from the orb. Inside, James wrote 'Sizzling' in his best hand writing, which was surprisingly legible.  
  
"Done." James grinned.  
  
"What did you do? Lily strained to see, but because of the place, it was an impossible task.  
  
"A sun. And a very good one, I might add." James joked, buffing his nails on her shirt.  
  
"I'll take your word for it." Lily smiled, wishing she could see what James did. Looking at his arm, Lily noticed it was dry.  
  
"Let's put some lemon and sugar on that." Lily dipped another cloth in a bowl with a small amount of liquid in it. Gently, she dabbed the mixture on it.  
  
"LILY!" Jess shouted, coming, up behind the pair.  
  
"What Jess?" Lily turned around, unable to see James giving Jess the 'cut it' hand signal.  
  
"Oh, um nothing. I'll talk to you later, nothing important." Jess fumbled around for an excuse.  
  
"Shhhhuuuurrrreeee." Lily looked confused, but just shrugged. Jess walked off, giggling to herself. It was obvious that James had done Lily's tattoo- Lily couldn't reach there. And it was obvious James had a thing for Lily- Lily would never have had James write that.  
  
"I think yours is dry." James told Lily.  
  
"Ok, just dab on the lemon stuff. Not so hard that it will crumble off though." Lily warned.  
  
"I will be careful, just trust me." James said, putting on the lemon mixture. James was extra careful, and did a good job.  
  
"Now we have to wait for two hours. What do you want to do?" Lily asked, blushing slightly.  
  
"Do you want to play chess?" James asked, pulling a table with a board all ready to go over to them.  
  
"Sure. Can I be white?" Lily grinned. She was excellent at chess. I'James had better watch his back.'/I Lily thought.  
  
"Of course." James grinned back, for he too was an excellent player. I 'She won't stand a chance' /I  
  
James thought. And so the game began. Since both James and Lily were equally good, the match went on for hours. Three to be exact. After the first half-hour, the marauders joined them, along with Jess. None of them could beat Lily or James on their own, so they were excited to see who won.  
  
"How long have they been playing?" Jess whispered to Remus. They had been watching what seemed like forever, and neither James nor Lily was winning.  
  
"Three hours, I think." Remus whispered back.  
  
"AHA! CHECKMATE!" Lily jumped up, smiling like an idiot.  
  
"What?! Where?" James looked wildly.  
  
"Right there. You missed it. I won." Lily's grin nearly split her face in two.  
  
"Great. I want a rematch." James said insolently.  
  
"Tomorrow. I need sleep." Lily yawned.  
  
"Come on its only what, 11?" James shrugged.  
  
"James, its practically 1." Lily told him.  
  
"Oh. Hey! We forgot to take off the henna. Will it be ruined?" James asked, worried.  
  
"Nope. It will probably just stay on longer." Lily shrugged. "Just scrape it off into the garbage. Then put some olive oil on it. Here" Lily handed a small piece of cloth saturated with the oil on it over to James. Gathering up her things, Lily and Jess walked up to their dorm, the Marauders going to their own.  
  
"So, Lily, do you like your tattoo James gave you?" Jess giggled as she helped Lily scraped off the paste into the trash can.  
  
"I don't know yet- I haven't seen it. I'm sure I'll like it." Lily giggled too, she couldn't help it.  
  
"Well, let's have you see this. Here." Jess handed lily a compact mirror and stood her in front of their floor length mirror, Lily's back to it. Raising the mirror over her shoulder, Lily looked at her tattoo. She had to admit, James did a good job. Only problem was, if Lily wore her hair up, you could see it.  
  
"Oh my." Lily practically fainted at what James had wrote. [I] 'Sizzling? Did he really mean it? Was he just joking?' [/I] Lily thought dreamily to herself.  
  
"He so likes you." Jess grinned.  
  
"I hope so. This is so perfect!" Lily went on, dreamily.  
  
"Now, why don't you let me give you a makeover- to throw James over the edge so he'll ask you out!" Jess said, conspiratorially.  
  
"Give me one [I]good[/I] reason why I should." Lily put her hands on her hips.  
  
"James."  
  
Lily shook her head no.  
  
"The show on Saturday night and James."  
  
"You got me there. Fine. Only because of the show." Lily gave in.  
  
"Seriously? You mean it? I really can?"  
  
"Watch it, or I'll change my mind." Lily warned.  
  
"Oh, thank you Lil! I swear, James Potter will be all over you. Along with every other eligible guy. Even the ones that are WAY too young." Jess hugged her friend, giggling madly. Lily couldn't help it, she laughed too. Jess' happiness and excitement is just infectious.  
  
"Now, I have to get to bed. I mean it!" Lily decided as she rubbed olive oil on her tattoo. Lily crawled into bed as the rest of her dormmates came trouncing in from the common room.  
  
"Lily! You cannot go to sleep now! You [I] have [/I] to tell us what is going on between you and James Potter." A snotty blonde demanded.  
  
"Whitney, maybe I'll tell you in the morning, but definitely not now. I'm tired, James and I spent three hours playing one chess game and it took all of my concentration just to beat him. Now goodnight!" Lily yanked her bed curtains closed.  
  
"Somebody is PMSing." A pretty brunette muttered.  
  
"I heard that, Margo. I'm not PMSing, I'm just tired!" Lily snapped.  
  
"Whatever." Margo rolled her eyes as she got into bed. Lily checked her watch. Curfew was in fifteen minutes. She really needed to get into bed earlier. 1 a.m. curfew never needed to be worried about by her before. The next week passed like a dream for Lily. James Potter was actually paying attention to her. And it wasn't just head student stuff they talked about, it was other things too. Lily found out quite quickly what all his favorite things were, where he lived, what his family was like, his best pranks over the summers, etc. Lily also told James a bit about herself- like where she was staying now that her parents were killed.  
  
Lily stayed with her elderly neighbors, the Jones'. The couple, who just so happens to be a witch and wizard themselves, were only too happy to take Lily in when it came for the decision on her future. They loved Lily like she was their own, and had taken care of Lily and her older sister, Petunia when they were little. Petunia, was married the summer before and wasn't concerned over her sister's affairs. In fact, she hated Lily. Petunia always had been scared of Lily's magic, and believed that their parents were killed by Voldemort simply because Lily was a witch. This was not the case. Lily's parents were killed in a mass attack on a mall which they were shopping in. Muggles were told a poisonous gas had leaked, causing everyone in the vicinity to died unmarked. The truth was that a band of death eaters flung the Killing curse everywhere that they could. Petunia couldn't forgive Lily, even though it was entirely not her fault.  
  
James gave Lily a hug after she told him this. He could tell it was hard for Lily to talk about it. He was just glad that she trusted him enough to confide in him. Especially after the tattoo. He thought Lily was going to yell at him, at least. Instead, the morning after, Lily came down to the common room, found James and gave him a big hug, thanking him for the excellent tattoo. Lily had such a wonderful week, she couldn't believe that James Potter, the James Potter- destined to play professional quidditch after Hogwarts, was paying so much attention to her. Lily was beginning to suspect that Jess was right- James did like her, if only a little bit. James was paying nearly half as much attention to any other girl, even the beauty queens that got every guy they wanted. Before Lily knew it, it was Friday evening- time for detention.  
  
"James, how am I going to live through this? I hope the Jones' don't send me a howler because of it." Lily practically wailed on their way to McGonagall's classroom.  
  
"Don't worry. All you have to do is correct papers. You already correct half the tower's homework- it will be just the same." James wrapped him arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze. [I] 'this is sooooo wonderful! James is such a nice guy.' [/I] Lily thought wistfully. Taking back his arm, James opened the door for her. Lily thanked him as she went through. McGonagall was sitting at her desk, apparently waiting for them.  
  
"You're three minutes late." The professor snapped.  
  
"Sorry, professor, I was having a bit of an anxiety attack." Lily blurted the first excuse that came to her mind. Luckily, McGonagall bought it.  
  
"Well, Miss Evans, hopefully you won't need to worry about anxiety attacks before detention, if you can manage getting to class on time." Lily could have sworn that she smiled a little.  
  
"Thanks." James whispered in Lily's ear as McGonagall showed him what he was to be untransfiguring. Lily was pointed to a large stack of papers and was handed the answer key. After a very long hour of correcting papers and silently giggling at James, who decided to add interesting additions to the already interesting objects (these were the ones that didn't come out right after working on them) before turning them back, Lily and James were allowed to leave the stuffy classroom.  
  
"Uh, Lily?" James asked when they had gotten into the corridor. It was completely empty except for the two of them.  
  
"Yes?" Lily's heart jumped.  
  
"Do you, Do you want to go with me to Hogsmeade tomorrow? To get party stuff?" James looked at his feet. Why was this hard for him all of a sudden. All week he had been great, now this.  
  
"I'd love to." Lily's heart skipped a beat.  
  
"Really?" James grinned and wrapped his arm around her waist for the second time that night. Sighing contently, Lily rested her head on his shoulder. They walked like this for awhile, nobody was in the corridors at all. James stopped in front of the portrait. Leaning down, he kissed Lily, who kissed him back this time. Breaking apart after a minute or two, Lily blushed and gave the password to the fat lady, who was staring at shock at the two of them. Saying goodnight softly, Lily quickly made her way up to her dorm.  
  
"What took you two so long? You should have been back ten minutes ago! We have to plan on our outfits!" Jess reprimanded Lily as soon as she stepped into the doorway. Only Christy and Jess were in the room.  
  
"Hold on. Lily, what happened?" Christy asked slyly, seeing the look on Lily's face. It was a faraway, dreamy, happy look.  
  
"He kissed me again. I mean really kissed." Lily sat on her bed and grinned. "We're going to Hogsmeade tomorrow." Lily added happily.  
  
"Well then!" Jess hugged Lily. "I'm so happy for you. Only one problem, there isn't a trip tomorrow." Jess said quietly.  
  
"So? He's James. A marauder. We'll sneak out." Lily smiled absently.  
  
"You are so lost." Christy giggled. "So, do you guys think we're ready for our first major performance?" Christy changed the subject.  
  
"Of course." Jess and Lily both answered immediately.  
  
"Stage fright taken care of?" Christy clarified.  
  
"James gave me some advice. I think it will work. Concentrate on one person in the audience, who you're comfortable with and don't mind singing in front of." Lily smiled at the thought of James.  
  
"James, James James! He's all you talk about!" Jess giggled.  
  
"He's so wonderful! Besides, when I have I ever talked about something that didn't pertain to him? I've like been in love with him since first year!" Lily laughed.  
  
"True. But anyway, let's pick our outfits." Jess returned to the problem at hand.  
  
"Yes. I think we shouldn't go for super girlie, but not tomboy either." Lily decided.  
  
"Ok. How about jeans and baby-tees?" Jess suggested, pulling clothes from her trunk.  
  
"Ok, I guess. Nothing sickly tight." Christy nodded.  
  
"How about a tank top? We shouldn't wear the exact same thing." Lily pointed out.  
  
"True. Lily, you wear this green tank, Christy, how about this sparkly purple sleeveless top?" Jess tossed the shirts at the girls.  
  
"And how about this for me?" Jess held up a navy baby tee that was pretty tight.  
  
"Ok, lets try them on, to make sure the fit is right." Lily turned around and put on the forest green tank, which matched her eyes. Jess was smaller in the top than Lily, so it was a bit tighter than she would have liked. She turned around as Jess and Christy were.  
  
"Wow, Lily! James won't be able to take his eyes off of you!" Jess squealed.  
  
"Thanks. It's a big snug, but I think it will work. You two look awesome." Lily commented. Christy was tall, blonde, and had rare violet eyes. She looked amazing in her purple shirt. Jess also looked good in her shirt.  
  
"Lily, do you need to barrow a pair of jeans? I mean, all of yours are ratty. At least the ones you wear." Jess asked.  
  
"Nope, I have a new pair- Mrs. Jones insisted." Lily grinned. Her pair was normal, except Mrs. Jones insisted on getting what was in fashion- the flared pant leg. Even so, Lily thought she looked good in them.  
  
"Cool. Well, I've got to get going. I'll see you guys after breakfast- one last practice. Don't worry it will only be an hour, and James can come if he wants." Christy cut Lily off before she even objected.  
  
"Ok." Lily shrugged.  
  
"Bye, see you in the morning!" Jess ushered her to the door, closing it behind her. Turning around, Jess had a devilish grin on her face.  
  
"So spill. About James. Is he a good kisser?" Jess stayed by the door. If their pesky roommates came back, Jess wanted to be able to cut off the conversation before they heard anything important or embarrassing.  
  
"Yes." Lily grinned, rummaging around for some candy. She found her large supply in her bedside table. She practically attacked it, munching on piece after piece  
  
"And how did this kiss come about?" Jess asked excitedly. James was the perfect guy for Lily. Lily needed someone to get her out of her shell- Lily needed to live; I mean really live life to the fullest.  
  
"Well, he had just asked me to go to Hogsmeade. Then we walked in silence to the portrait, he had his arm around my waist. Then he kissed me. In front of the fat lady too! I swear, if she was alive, she would have died of shock, the way she was looking at us. Then I said goodnight and came up here." Lily stopped abruptly as there was a knocking on the door.  
  
"Yeah?" Jess asked, not opening the door.  
  
"Your roommates would like to get into their dorm." Whitney's voice snapped.  
  
"Sure, come in." Jess went and sat on her bed as the three girls came into the room. The third girl, who had very curly black hair, was named Melissa, and was very quiet. She hung out with Whitney and Margo, both of whom were very pretty and expected the world on a plate, including any guy they wanted.  
  
"The fat lady just told us. You kissed James Potter." Whitney began in a sickly sweet tone. It was extremely obvious that Margo and Whitney were tremendously jealous.  
  
"No." Lily said simply, standing up.  
  
"What is that you're wearing?" Margo asked, her voice tinged with jealous.  
  
"A shirt that I will be performing in tomorrow." Lily answered, turning around and changing her shirt to another tank, then Lily put on her extra large lounge pants that she loved so much. She had about three pairs of them.  
  
"Performing?" Melissa asked, seemingly interested.  
  
"Yeah, the party the Marauders are throwing tomorrow is in our honor- our band will be playing." Lily said nicely. Melissa wasn't a mean girl, it was just the company she keeps.  
  
"The party is for you?" Whitney and Margo snickered.  
  
"Yes it is." James said from the doorway.  
  
"James!" all the girls said at the same time.  
  
"Lily, would you like to give me that rematch? That is, if you're not busy." James eyed the girls.  
  
"I'd love to, come on Jess." Lily walked out.  
  
"I'll be right down, I have to change!" Jess called and Lily walked down to the common room with James.  
  
"Thank god you came, they were getting ready to lynch me." Lily joked.  
  
"But why?" James asked, pretending not to have a clue.  
  
"Because the fat lady has taken it upon herself to spread gossip." Lily poked him in the side lightly.  
  
"Well, then. That will have to stop, won't it?" James grinned at Lily.  
  
"Stop rumors? I don't think even you can do that." Lily rolled her eyes.  
  
"I don't know, I have a plan." James wrapped his arm around her.  
  
"Really? And what will this plan be, Mr. Potter?" Lily inquired.  
  
"You'll see." James grinned evilly.  
  
"Oh no. I don't like that look." Lily groaned as they entered the common room. Almost all eyes were upon them, but Lily and James didn't notice.  
  
"Why?" James asked defensively.  
  
"'Cause you get that look when you're going to pull a prank or a joke or something." Lily explained.  
  
"Oh. Well, do you want to know?" James grinned.  
  
"Maybe." Lily smiled slightly. James sat down in a chair across from Sirius and pulled Lily on his lap.  
  
"So this is your regal plan?" Lily rolled her eyes again.  
  
"Just wait and see." James answered calmly.  
  
"Well, Jamesy, did you finally ask her?" Sirius grinned.  
  
"Basically." James grinned back. Lily just blushed slightly. She could guess what they were talking about.  
  
"Finally." Remus joked. Lily just blushed even more. She began to notice almost everyone in the common room was staring at her and James. Probably because they were complete opposites, or maybe because James was [I] the [/I] most sought after guy in Hogwarts, not to mention most popular. Lily Evans was just a speck on the radar, compared to the huge blob that would be James. And here she was, sitting on his lap, having kissed him in front of the portrait earlier. Yep, life was good for Lily.  
  
"Hey, it took you a month to ask Jess out." James shot back.  
  
"Really?" Lily questioned. It had come to Jess as a surprise that Remus liked her back.  
  
"Yeah. Kept on chickening out on the last minute." James grinned.  
  
"Like someone else we know." Sirius stared pointedly at James. James went slightly red, but Lily just grinned.  
  
"I think its sweet." Lily announced, playfully pinching James on the cheek.  
  
"This isn't the shy Lily Evans I know." James murmured, hugging her.  
  
"I know. I had some candy back in the dorm. A bit too much I think." Lily winked at James.  
  
"Fiesty tonight." James laughed.  
  
"You ain't seen nothin' yet." Lily kissed James, in front of everybody. They were pretty, err, absorbed in each other when Sirius cleared his throat.  
  
"Yeah, that's right. Get a room if you're gonna do that." Sirius rolled his eyes as Lily and James broke apart, James shooting daggers at Sirius.  
  
"Woah, James is going for the death glare there!" Sirius joked.  
  
"Shut it." James growled. Lily simply ruffled his always messy hair and he grinned up at her, all his anger gone.  
  
"And you think we are bad." Jess said, her hands on her hips, standing behind the couch Remus was sitting on, which was next to, and angled towards James and Lily's chair. She walked around and sat next to Remus.  
  
"You are." Lily giggled.  
  
"And this from the one on James' lap." Remus raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yep." Lily grinned.  
  
"Incorrigible." Jess rolled her eyes. Lily laid her head on James' shoulder as the group talked about the upcoming party.  
  
"That reminds me!" Sirius stood up. "HEY EVERYONE! WE"RE HAVING A PARTY TOMORROW NIGHT- SUNSET MOON, OUR RESIDENT BAND, WILL BE PLAYING AND DEBUTING THEIR NEWEST SONG, MARAUDER'S SONG, WRITTEN BY LILY EVANS!" Sirius shouted to the full common room, getting the attention of the people (mostly guys) who weren't staring at Lily and James. The crowd in the common room roared their approval at the party tomorrow.  
  
"Lily and I are going to Hogsmeade tomorrow to get candy and butterbeer. Sirius, can you take care of the rest? Like the stuff from the kitchens." James added.  
  
"Of course, prongs. I'm not incompetent, you know." Sirius buffed his nails on his shirt.  
  
"Says who?" James joked.  
  
"Hey!" Sirius defended.  
  
"DO you even know what incompetent is?" Lily asked.  
  
"Nope. McGonagall called Peter it one time- after he switched the legs of is desk with a chicken's" Sirius grinned as they laughed.  
  
"That wasn't funny." Peter, who was usually silent, spoke up.  
  
"Come on, it was funny seeing your desk run around on chicken feet, you have to admit that." James pointed out.  
  
"I guess." Peter relented.  
  
"I'm going to take a walk." Lily decided, jumping off James' lap.  
  
"I'll join you." James stood up. The Marauders and Jess shot the two amused looks.  
  
"We'll be back later!" Lily called; taking James' offered arm. Sirius shook his head, they may be opposites, but they really go together. James held the portrait open for Lily. They walked into the corridor when the Fat lady squawked at them.  
  
"You two again?" She asked, smiling slyly.  
  
"Yes, us. We're going for a walk." Lily explained.  
  
"Ah. Well, off you two go. And Lily," The fat lady smiled, "watch yourself. I think that young man has a problem keeping his hands to himself." The fat lady winked at them James just laughed.  
  
"I think you may be right." James grinned and wrapped his arm around Lily, pulling her down the corridor.  
  
"The fat lady seems to like you." James said thoughtfully.  
  
"Yes, well, I make it a point to actually talk to her. Most people just give her the password. Or get yelled at by her." Lily added.  
  
"Like me you mean. Every time us Marauders come in late after a prank, she gives us a stern talking to. Going on and on about tarnishing the Gryffindor name." James smiled.  
  
"Sounds like her." Lily sighed and put her head on his shoulder. James and Lily walked outside to the gardens, where the pale moonlight spread its beams upon the couple. They were sitting on a bench, talking about little things, when the sound of a closing door caught their ears. Falling silent for a minute, they waited for the figure to appear. A person, two persons to be exact, came strolling out, Not wanting to get caught, in case they were teachers, James pulled Lily behind a large fountain/birdbath.  
  
"Do you think they know?" Christy's voice floated over them.  
  
"Who?" Sirius' deep voice answered.  
  
"Your friends. Lily. Jess. Them." Christy said.  
  
"No, I don't think they have a clue about us. We're good. I don't see why-" Sirius began, but was cut off.  
  
"Because. Until we are official, I don't want to be seen sneaking around. Have you broken up with her yet?" Christy asked, referring to Sirius' girlfriend, Margo from Lily's dorm.  
  
"She's so damn possessive. Every time I try, she pulls some stupid crap." Sirius' silhouette slumped.  
  
"Tonight. Please, for me? I can't keep doing this. Please Sirius." Christy held his face in her hand.  
  
"Ok. No matter what, I'll break it off with her. You're the only girl I see right now." Sirius kissed Christy. James looked at Lily; she had a statement of astonishment on her face.  
  
"Let's go in now, before we're missed." Christy pulled away. Taking Sirius' hand, the two went back into the school. As soon as James heard a door shut, he and Lily came out from behind the fountain.  
  
"Holy crap." James said, unbelievingly. He sat back down on the stone bench.  
  
"Yeah. Who would have thought, Christy and Sirius. Well, at least he's going to break up with Margo. That girl needs to be rejected. She's way too full of herself." Lily sat next to James, she shivered slightly.  
  
"Yes, she really does." James smiled. "You want to go back in?" James asked, draping his arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Sure. It's a bit chilly out here." Lily smiled gratefully up at him.  
  
"Come on." James stood up and took Lily's hand. Smiling to herself, James led Lily back to the portrait.  
  
"Back so soon?" The fat lady smiled knowingly.  
  
"Yeah, it's kind of cold out." James grinned, putting his arm around Lily and giving her a squeeze.  
  
"Lion paw." Lily rolled her eyes and the two of them stepped through the portrait as it swung open. Closing it behind them, they found most of the common room waiting expectantly, though most of them were trying to hide it. Sirius, Lily noticed, wasn't back yet. And Margo was missing too, now that Lily looked. She smiled and leaned her head on James' shoulder after they sat on a love seat together.  
  
"Have a nice walk?" Jess asked slyly.  
  
"It was a bit cold out." James shrugged.  
  
"I'm sure you two found a way around that." Remus joked.  
  
"Yes, we did." Remus nearly choked on his piece of candy when Lily answered him. "We came back in." Lily added, amused at the stunned look on Remus and Peter's faces. Jess just shook her head.  
  
"If you say so." Jess grinned.  
  
"Yes, we do." James draped his arm around Lily for the umpteenth time that night. Lily felt so happy and comfortable in his arms.  
  
"You know, I never got my rematch." James remembered.  
  
"Would you like it now?" Lily looked up at him.  
  
"You bet. Watch out, 'cause I'm gonna beat you this time." James grinned as he retrieved a chess set from across the room.  
  
"Never. You know I'll win." Lily shot back. She set up her pieces and they began.  
  
"I am"  
  
"No I am"  
  
"I'm telling you, I am going to win."  
  
"And I'm telling you you're going to lose, because I'm going to win."  
  
"Not in a million years could you beat me."  
  
"Try last night."  
  
"I'm going to win."  
  
"James, I'm going to win, just accept it. It is fate."  
  
"WILL BOTH OF YOU JUST PLAY THE STUPID GAME?!" Sirius yelled, coming in on the tail end of the conversation.  
  
"I see you're back. Where were you?" James asked much to Sirius' annoyance.  
  
"I'll tell you later." Sirius sat down in a chair by them.  
  
"Why not now?" Lily pestered Sirius for James, who was making his move.  
  
"Because I don't want to talk about it." Sirius said like an insolent little child.  
  
"Whatever. James, hurry up, that is, unless you just want to give up, since I'm going to win." Lily joked, changing the subject.  
  
"You two aren't going to start I that /I again, are you?" Remus grumbled.  
  
"Of course. Lily, just admit it, I'm going to win." James grinned as he put her king in check.  
  
"That's where you're wrong. Checkmate." Lily moved her queen and, without a doubt, put James' king in checkmate.  
  
"Damn. I'm going to beat you one of these days." James muttered, leaning back in his chair.  
  
"And until then, you're gonna keep losing." Lily go up and sat in his lap again, ruffling his hair.  
  
"Probably." James sighed.  
  
"Don't get all depressed just because you lost." Lily tapped his nose.  
  
"I'm not." James grinned at her, pulling her into a kiss.  
  
"Not again." Remus rolled his eyes, hugging Jess to him.  
  
"What? I think they're sweet." Jess murmured in his ear.  
  
"Really? Maybe I should try that sometime." Remus whispered to her, kissing Jess' neck.  
  
"Maybe you should." Jess giggled.  
  
"Ok, really now, would you all just get a room?" Sirius said, exasperated.  
  
"Why don't you get a girlfriend who would actually spend time with you then?" Lily grumbled, drawing back from James, who had a look of extreme happiness on his face.  
  
"Hey." Sirius glared at her.  
  
"What?" Lily said defensively.  
  
"I just broke up with Margo. Leave me alone." Sirius muttered.  
  
"I'm sorry, we didn't know. You wouldn't tell us." Lily said, somewhat repentantly.  
  
"I know, I know." Sirius mumbled.  
  
"Well, it was nice spending time with you all, but someone still needs to work with me." Jess looked pointedly at Lily, who looked unhappy.  
  
"Come on, band stuff." Jess pulled Lily to her feet.  
  
"Night James" Lily leaned down and kissed him lightly on the cheek, still glaring at Jess.  
  
"Goodnight." The marauders chorused to the girls as they walked up to their dorm. As soon as Jess, closed the door, she turned to Lily, the only other occupant of the room.  
  
"What is with you tonight? First you kiss James in front of the portrait, then you're sitting on his lap, and now you're kissing him in front of the whole common room? That is so not like you." Jess stood in front of the door like before. The last thing they needed was an upset Margo and snotty Whitney barging in on them.  
  
"I don't know what possessed me.It was like I was supposed to." Lily shrugged, changing into her pajamas- a white tube top and peach boxers.  
  
"And the next thing we know is you sneaking into his dorm to make out in the middle of the night!" Jess rolled her eyes.  
  
"That's not so bad an idea." Lily grinned.  
  
"James Potter has definitely loosened you up. Hell, you were a goody two shoes before, a teacher's pet. Now you have had detention and you're going off to kiss James!" Jess threw her hands in the air with exasperation.  
  
"Hey, we weren't kissing, we were enjoying each other's company." Lily defended herself.  
  
"Sure you weren't." Jess grinned slyly.  
  
"We weren't. I only kissed James in the common room. Dear god, listen to me! Arguing over where I kissed a guy? This is out of character for me! We sound like Whitney and Margo!" Lily laughed.  
  
"We do, don't we?" Jess giggled. Jess also changed into her pajamas, a short and tank set with frogs on them. There was a loud banging on the door.  
  
"Why are we locked out of our dorm, again?" Margo's angry voice practically shouted.  
  
"You're not locked out, the door is open." Jess answered, going over to her bed and flopping on it. A seemingly upset Margo and equally pissed Whitney barged in, Melissa at their heels.  
  
"What, pray tell, did you think you were doing in the common room?" Whitney demanded, her voice tinged with jealousy.  
  
"Umm, talking with the Marauders?" Lily shrugged.  
  
"Excuse me? It looked to me like you were making out with James in front of everybody." Whitney spat.  
  
"Yeah, and what have you done to Sirius? He dumped me for no reason. Ever since you and her have been hanging out with them, he's grown away from me." Margo asked angrily.  
  
"Hey, me and Jess did nothing. Why are you all mad because [I]he[/I] decided [I]he[/I] didn't want to date you anymore?" Lily defended herself.  
  
"Well, I thought the local s l u t had something to do with that." Margo said snidely. James Potter suddenly materialized from this air in the doorway, behind Margo and Whitney. Melissa and Jess' mouths dropped to the floor while Lily looked quite relieved.  
  
"I would ask that you please not call my girlfriend such names." James growled, startling Margo and Whitney out of their minds.  
  
"James." Lily grinned, walked over to him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek just to make Whitney mad.  
  
"Lily. I was just wondering if you and Jess were done yet. We got lonely with out your presence. Remus can't stand to be without Jess for more than five minutes." James kept his arms around her, looking straight into her eyes.  
  
"We're done. Jess, you coming?" Lily turned her head towards her friend.  
  
"Right behind you." Jess grinned as James kissed Lily before taking her hand and going down to the common room. After Jess left, Melissa shut the door.  
  
"By the end of tomorrow night, I swear I'll have James Potter as my boyfriend, not as that little b i t c h's." Whitney narrowed her eyes, determination shown brightly in them.  
  
Back with James and Lily.  
  
"Lily, remember what I said back in your dorm? About being my girlfriend?" James looked at his feet. Ugh, this was way too hard for him.  
  
"How could I forget?" Lily squeezed his hand, reassuringly. Jess had fallen behind to give them some space, and James time.  
  
"Well, do you want to be my girlfriend? I mean, for real?" James went red.  
  
"Do you honestly have to ask? Of course!" Lily kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"I just wanted to make sure. Besides, otherwise I would be taking you for granted." James put his arm around her waist.  
  
"Now, how about you tell me how you miraculously appeared out of thin air at exactly the right moment?" Lily leaned her head on his shoulder, which was becoming a regular occurrence for her.  
  
"I own an invisibility cloak." James said quietly. "And I figured those girls were up to no good, so I followed them. You're not mad, are you?" James looked down at her.  
  
"Never. You saved me back in there. I just couldn't believe she said that." Lily sighed happily. Life was perfect. They arrived at the couch where they were sitting before, the rest of the marauders draped over other chairs facing them. Jess went and sat on a love seat with Remus.  
  
"So did those girls cause trouble Jamie? You know Lily, he's like obsessed with you. He jumped to his feet as soon as he saw them going up to your dorm." Sirius pretended to confide in Lily. James went a bit red.  
  
"They called me names but James saved me!" Lily said dramatically, throwing her hand across her forehead. The Marauders and Jess laughed hysterically. After they calmed down, there was a bit of an awkward silence. Nobody knew what to say.  
  
"This is boring. Who's up for a game of truth or dare?" Jess finally broke the silence.  
  
"Are you nuts? That's a chick game!" Sirius joked.  
  
"Nah, I think it'll be fun." Remus smiled.  
  
"Why not? I've never played before." James shrugged.  
  
"Fine. But I warn you, this is such a chick game!" Sirius insisted.  
  
"Do we need to go over the rules?" Lily raised an eyebrow.  
  
"It wouldn't hurt." James said.  
  
"Ok then. You have to answer any truth question completely honestly- NO embarrassing questions please. Other members can throw out the question if it is too personal. Umm, you have to follow through on the dare unless is causes harm to someone, or causes the most extreme embarrassment." Lily explained. "And that's about it. Who wants to go first?"  
  
"I'll go." Remus volunteered. "So, Sirius, Truth or Dare?"  
  
"Dare. No, truth. Definitely truth." Sirius decided.  
  
"Who was the first girl you ever kissed? And where?" Remus thought for a moment before asking.  
  
"Fair. Uh, the first girl I kissed was." Sirius thought hard for a moment. "It was you Jess, during spin the bottle in first year." Sirius grinned. Lily thought back to that night. Sirius had invited them to play. It was very late after a Gryffindor quidditch party and not many people were awake. Lily was apprehensive, but Jess insisted on playing. That was the first time Lily ever kissed a boy. and that boy was James Potter. She kissed a few others after that- a third year, Remus, and a fourth year, but all she really remembered was kissing James. Lily had been on cloud nine for days, even if James hadn't paid attention to her at all after they kissed.  
  
"I remember that! Believe it or not, you were my first kiss too!" Jess laughed, bring Lily back from her thoughts.  
  
"Cool. Now, Lily, truth or dare?" Lily paled when Sirius chose her. I 'Well, it's an embarrassing question or an embarrassing dare. Pick one.' /I Lily thought.  
  
"Dare."  
  
"Wonderful." Sirius grinned mischievously.  
  
"I want you to go onstage tomorrow night shirtless, that is bra only I mean, for Marauder's song." Sirius decided.  
  
"No Way." Lily blushed at the thought. I 'Just my bra? He has got to be kidding' /I  
  
"Yes way. That's the dare." James hugged her. "Come one, it won't be that bad." James grinned  
  
"Fine. I am I SO /I going to regret this." Lily whimpered.  
  
"I'll make sure you won't." James muttered in her ear, causing Lily to blush again.  
  
"Well, then!" Sirius said, noticing Lily had blushed because of James.  
  
"Fine. Ok Sirius, truth or dare?" Lily was already planning her revenge.  
  
"What? I just went!" Sirius protested.  
  
"So? What will it be? Truth or dare?" Lily grinned evilly.  
  
"Dare. No truth, you're going to make me do something horrible for dare." Sirius paled at the thought.  
  
"Truth. Ok then, lemme think for a sec." Lily pondered what she wanted to know, that would totally embarrass Sirius.  
  
"Sirius, if you were gay, who would you want to date and why?" Lily asked, a smile playing on her lips.  
  
"WHAT?! That question is not fair!" Sirius nearly jumped out of his chair.  
  
"Yes it is, Padfoot. Answer the question." James grinned; he liked Lily's revenge. But it wasn't like he was upset she had go onstage wearing her bra. In fact, he was looking forward to it, like a typical 17-year-old male would.  
  
"I can't answer that! People will think I'm gay!" Sirius was ready to bolt from the room.  
  
"Just answer the dumb question! You're [I] not [/I] gay, so why are you worrying? Its just a truth or dare question." Remus pointed out.  
  
"Fine. I would want to date." Sirius cast his eyes around the room, looking for a candidate. "John." Sirius' eyes rested on John Temlain, the well- muscled, blonde, pretty boy quidditch player. He was a beater for the Gryffindor team, and was in 6th year.  
  
"Why?" Lily giggled. A dodo bird had more brains than that boy.  
  
"Because he can play quidditch and he can't say more than two words in a sentence." Sirius shrugged.  
  
"So you like the strong silent type, eh?" Jess joined in Lily's giggling.  
  
"NO! This is just a stupid truth or dare question! It means NOTHING!" Sirius practically shouted, jumping to his feet.  
  
"Cool it, Padfoot. We get the picture- and don't worry, we won't tell him." Trying his hardest not to laugh, James tried to calm Sirius down. Pacified, Sirius sat back down, glaring at Lily as if to say I'I'm going to get you back.' /I  
  
"Jess, truth or dare?" Sirius managed calmly.  
  
"Truth. If it was dare, you'd probably make me do the same thing as Lily." Jess shuddered at the thought.  
  
"Ok, tell me, who was the first guy you ever made out with, when and where?" Sirius asked. He had heard that girls weren't ones for kissing and telling in front of guys. Jess blushed to a deep crimson.  
  
"You, our fourth year, your dorm." Jess mumbled. Sirius nodded. He remembered; that was the year he almost dated Jess.  
  
"Our dorm?" Remus asked, puzzled.  
  
"Yeah. Everyone else was at a party- we had just won the quidditch cup." Jess buried her scarlet face in Remus' shoulder.  
  
"Jess, its your turn." Lily said gently, glaring at Sirius for asking such an embarrassing question; well, it was embarrassing in front of guys, especially when one was her boyfriend.  
  
"Ok. James, truth or dare."  
  
"Dare. I'm not taking a chance with truth. You guys have been brutal tonight." James tried to lighten the atmosphere, which it did somewhat.  
  
"Ok. I dare you.." Jess thought for a sec.  
  
"You can join Lily in being shirtless tomorrow. Lily, you'll need to serenade James onstage. Both of you will have to be shirtless." Jess decided.  
  
"Fine." James shrugged. That wouldn't be so bad. Little did he know, Sirius would try to pick up the slack.  
  
"Remus, truth or dare?" James asked him.  
  
"Dare. I'm scared of the truths that have come up." Remus joked.  
  
"Let Lily give you a tattoo that says 'Slippery when wet' on your back." James was proud of his dare; it wasn't all that bad.  
  
"Ugh, fine." Remus groaned.  
  
"I'll go get the stuff." Lily dashed up to her dorm, where she was relieved to find it empty. Grabbing the bag that held her supplies, she ran back down stairs.  
  
"Strip." Lily laughed, getting out the body oil. Sighing, Remus pulled off his shirt. five minutes later, Remus had the tattoo and it was drying.  
  
"Back to our game. Peter, truth or dare?" Remus resumed the game. Peter didn't answer.  
  
"I think he's sleeping." Lily giggled.  
  
"Oh well. Um, Jess, truth or dare?" Remus asked.  
  
"Dare." Jess decided after a moment.  
  
"Get a tattoo that say's 'Remus' Chick' on your back." Remus grinned.  
  
"Fine. Lils?" Jess dashed up to the dorm and changed her shirt, coming back down, Jess got her tattoo as dared.  
  
"Ok, Sirius, Truth or dare?"  
  
"Dare."  
  
"No more truths, eh?" Jess giggled, then told him her dare. " I want you to wear your boxers to breakfast tomorrow. No, I've changed my mind. You have to wear my pink pair of boxers to breakfast." Jess grinned. This was payback.  
  
"Fine." Sirius nodded. It could be worse.  
  
"James, old buddy, old pal, truth or dare?" Sirius grinned.  
  
"Oh god. This is not good. Let's go with truth." James cringed when he thought of all the things Sirius could ask him.  
  
"Tell Lily about what you said about her in our dorm." Sirius' eyes glinted.  
  
"Come on, you said you'd never tell." James pleaded.  
  
"I'm not. You are." Sirius grinned. Suddenly James had an idea.  
  
"Actually, I don't mind telling Lily. Lils, I said you were beautiful, and a wonderful kisser." James nuzzled her neck. Lily blushed slightly.  
  
"Why thank you, I guess." Lily turned and kissed James. [I]' He was so sweet! He actually thinks that of me! Aww! I'm soooo lucky to have him.'[/I] Lily thought blissfully.  
  
"Prongs, you know that wasn't what I meant." Sirius complained.  
  
"Ahh, but did I really know? You have to be more specific." James grinned arrogantly.  
  
"Damn, you got me." Sirius grumbled.  
  
"Oh no! As much as I'd love to stay, it is curfew, and I don't want another detention. So, goodnight all!" Lily stood up. The rest followed her suit. Sirius went and woke up Peter while Lily and Jess said goodnight to their significant others.  
  
"Night James." Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him one last kiss.  
  
"Night Lily." James gave her a squeeze, then letting her go. He stared after her with an expression of peacefulness and bliss on his face. Jess said goodnight in the same manner and followed Lily up the stairs.  
  
"Hey James, snap out of it." Remus laughed, waving his hand in front of James' face.  
  
"What? Oh yeah. Let's go." James went up to their dorm, Remus right behind him.  
  
The next morning, the seventh year girls were awakened much earlier than they would have liked to by James and Sirius pounding on their door.  
  
"Come in." Melissa called groggily from her bed. James and Sirius bounded into the dorm and immediately found Jess' and Lily's beds.  
  
"WAKE UP JESS!" Sirius shouted in sleeping Jess' ear. Jess, startled awake, fell out of bed still wrapped in her blankets. Bleary eyed, she slowly put together what was happening.  
  
"What did you do that for?" Jess whined pulling her blankets over her head, laying down on the floor.  
  
"Time to wake up!" Sirius grinned, yanking the blankets from Jess' grasp.  
  
"Hey!" Jess squealed. "Now I'm cold!"  
  
"Well, I'm gonna be cold too. I need those boxers." Sirius grumbled. Hearing him, Jess' face split into a big smile.  
  
"Of course! How could I forget?" Jess giggled and went over to her trunk. She pulled out a pair of hot pink boxers with flashing neon flowers on them.  
  
"You never said they HAD FLOWERS ON THEM!" Sirius was horrified.  
  
"Small detail. Must have slipped my mind." Jess grinned innocently, rolling her eyes and tossing the boxers to Sirius. Meanwhile, James was waking Lily up much more kindly.  
  
"Lily. Wake up." James gently shook her awake.  
  
"Hmmm? What are you doing here?" Lily yawned, putting on her glasses. She held the sheet up to her chest, and James turned bright red. To him, it looked like Lily wasn't wearing any pajamas!  
  
"Umm, uh, just waking you up. We're ready for breakfast and Sirius needed the boxers." James choked out.  
  
"I nearly forgot about that." Lily said happily, her smile dropped slightly when she saw James' face, and Sirius' for that matter too.  
  
"What is your problem?" Lily asked, honestly having no clue why both James and Sirius were blushing.  
  
"You're, uh, you don't- you don't wear pajamas." James managed.  
  
"Yes I do!" Lily let the sheet fall and both James and Sirius adverted their eyes.  
  
"You nitwits! I'm wearing a tube top!" Lily sounded rather exasperated.  
  
"Oh. Right, well, we'll just let you get dressed. Sirius has to changed anyway." James was rather embarrassed. Pulling Sirius out, the two boys left the girls to get dressed.  
  
Ten minutes later, Jess and Lily went down to the common room, finding Sirius dressed solely in Jess' boxers and blushing hotly. Joining in the marauder's (minus Sirius) laughter, Jess and Lily led the way to breakfast.  
  
"Umm, Sirius? I hope you're wearing something underneath those because I actually wear those to sleep in." Jess commented as soon as she calmed down enough to speak clearly.  
  
"Do you think I'm crazy? Of course I'm wearing something else!" Sirius glared as the rest of the marauders lapsed in to a fresh bout of laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?" Sirius glared.  
  
"Nothing." James snorted.  
  
"Are you sure? Cause it certainly looks like you're not." Jess continued, ignoring James, Remus, and Peter.  
  
"Yes I am. That's all you need to know." Sirius snapped as they entered the Great Hall. The whole hall fell silent for a moment. Then the male student body burst into loud obnoxious laughter while the female counterpart was busily staring at Sirius and whispering about how Hott, with a capital h, he was. Sirius was quite buff, ripped to be exact, but that's neither here nor there.  
  
Several girls tried to get Sirius to sit with them, but he just ignored them. The Marauders, Lily and Jess sat in their usual seats, and began to eat.  
  
"Lighten up. After all, I still have to go onstage with only my bra on." Lily tried to cheer Sirius up.  
  
"I guess." Sirius grumbled. Breakfast was an increasingly embarrassing affair for him. Every few minutes, a guy would pass by and say something like 'Lookin' good, Black!' to him; while girls kept coming over and asking to be his girlfriend (he turned them all down, but not without giving his over inflated ego an unneeded boost).  
  
"Mr. Black." Professor McGonagall came to their group as they were leaving.  
  
"Yes, Professor?" Sirius looked down at her; he was a good five inches taller than her, and only three years younger- he remembered her when she was head girl and such.  
  
"May I ask why you aren't wearing any clothes?" McGonagall had trouble keeping her voice civil.  
  
"It was a dare I couldn't back out of." Sirius shrugged. The rest of the Marauders, Lily and Jess were all laughing silently.  
  
"And why not?" McGonagall wasn't buying it.  
  
"It was a truth or dare one. I'm Isure/I you've played that game, IProfessor/I." Sirius smirked, making the young teacher blush and be angry at the same time.  
  
"Five points for disrespect towards a teacher, Sirius. And I expect that you will have all your clothes on by the next time I see you." McGonagall snapped, leaving them to go to the teacher's table.  
  
"Ok, Minnie!" Sirius called her by the nickname she went by in her student days at Hogwarts.  
  
"Make that ten points Mr. Black!" McGonagall didn't bother to turn around, she kept on walking.  
  
"Why do you torment her so?" Lily asked waspishly as they made their way to the Gryffindor Tower.  
  
"Because its fun. Prime target." Sirius grinned.  
  
"Just because she's a young teacher means nothing!" Lily snapped.  
  
"Whoa, Lils." Sirius draped an arm around her shoulder. "You planning to teach at Hogwarts? We need a new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, preferably someone who doesn't fall asleep in the middle of their lecture." Sirius laughed, making fun of their current teacher, Professor Holden, who did, indeed, fall asleep once in the middle of speaking.  
  
"Maybe I am" Lily wasn't being forgiving. James paled slightly. If Lily was going to teach here, when would he see her again? The teachers Ilived/I at Hogwarts.  
  
"Lily's gonna be a teeeeeaaaaachhhhherrrr!!" Sirius sung in an annoying little kid voice.  
  
"I don't know. It depends on my grades an if my application is accepted." Lily corrected.  
  
"Oh come on, you have the best grades of the year! You're head girl, and you've only had one detention, which was this year. That means you went 6 years here without a detention." Jess rolled her eyes. She and Remus were walking hand-in-hand.  
  
"But still." Lily went on.  
  
"Sirius, you can keep them. I don't want them any more, even if you did wash them" Jess was backing away from the boxers being held out by Sirius; an hour later, after everyone had showered and got ready for the day.  
  
"Why not?" Sirius thrust the boxers at her; he didn't want them.  
  
"You weren't wearing anything underneath them!" Jess shrieked as Sirius tossed the boxers at her, bouncing off her shoulder.  
  
"I was wearing something underneath. Now take this hideous thing back!" Sirius shouted, picking them back up off the floor.  
  
"Well, it didn't look like it! Unless. you were wearing tightie whities!" Jess squealed, causing everyone in the common room (which was quite full.) to laugh or snicker.  
  
"I DO NOT! I wear boxer-briefs thank you very much!" Sirius said hotly.  
  
"Not too much difference there." Jess giggled.  
  
"Just take the damn boxers." Sirius growled, shoving them at her again.  
  
"NEVER! You can just keep them!" Jess cried as she tried to make a run for it up the girl's stairs. Sirius caught her in his arms easily. If it wasn't for the fact that Jess was Remus' girlfriend, Sirius would have kissed her, then and there, hard.  
  
"Lemme go!" Jess squealed, struggling to free herself.  
  
"Not until you take these back!" Sirius stuffed the boxers down the front of her shirt and gave Jess a slight push up the stairs. Sticking her tongue out, Jess removed the boxers and walked up the stairs. At the top of the first landing, Jess threw the boxers at Sirius, where they landed on his head, and dashed up the stairs to her own dorm. Jess just managed to get the door locked when Sirius nearly caught her. Luckily the dorm doors were protected with a seal that prohibited the 'Alomohora' spell and any other spells that maybe used to Uunlock/U doors. That way, in case of emergency, the door could be broken down.  
  
"That was close." Jess groaned, sliding down to a sitting position, her back against the door.  
  
"What was?" Lily was lying on her bed, reading a magazine.  
  
"Nothing." Jess turned beet red.  
  
"Now who's keeping something? Spill." Lily sat up, ready for some serious girl talk.  
  
"I could've sworn he wanted to kiss me." Jess mumbled, her face in her hands.  
  
"Who?" Lily got up and sat next to Jess, putting her arm around her and giving her a squeeze.  
  
"Sirius. Oh Lily," Jess turned towards her friend, her eyes full of tears. "I think I wanted him to kiss me!"  
  
"Jess, shhh, its ok." Lily hugged Jess' crying form. She could tell it broke Jess' heart to think she may not be completely faithful to Remus, even if she just thought of another guy.  
  
"I did want him to!" Jess wailed louder, crying onto Lily's shoulder.  
  
"Its ok Jess. You just have to think things over. Take a moment to meditate with a candle burning. It is very relaxing and helps you work through your thoughts. I will be back in ten minutes. Here's my lighter." Lily pulled a muggle lighter from her robe pocket.  
  
"Don't tell anyone! Please." Jess begged, taking the lighter.  
  
"I just want to talk to Sirius. Maybe James. Don't worry, I won't tell soul. That is for you to do." Lily gave her friend one more hug, and stood up. "You know where I keep my candles- use any one you want. I'll be back soon." Lily slipped out, leaving Jess to meditate.  
  
"Sirius!" You scared the living daylights out of me!" Lily exclaimed, running into him as soon as she opened the door.  
  
"I know that you know." Sirius said solemnly.  
  
"About what?" Lily paled slightly.  
  
"Me and Christy." Sirius lowered his voice. He motioned Lily to follow him, into a hidden corridor in the hallway.  
  
"Where is this place?" Lily asked in wonder.  
  
"It's for the house elves' use. You can access any dorm through these." Sirius answered.  
  
"Now tell me why you want to talk to me." Lily turned to face him.  
  
"Well, I wanted to know why Christy won't have anything to do with me. I thought you might know since you're her friend and all." Sirius turned red.  
  
"How much have you paid attention to her?" Lily inquired.  
  
"More than any other girl around here." Sirius said glumly.  
  
"I see. Umm, have you done anything that might make her mad- flirt with another girl or something?" Lily asked kindly.  
  
"No. Only Jess today- that was a big mistake. But Christy wasn't there." Sirius let his head fall against the wall he was leaning on.  
  
"A big mistake?" Lily raised her eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah. She's Remus'. Off limits." Sirius said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Mmmhmmm. I'll talk to Christy, would that make you feel better?" Lily offered.  
  
"Please? I need to stop going after my best friend's girl. I've wanted to date Jess since fourth. I've just been too chicken, then Remus liked her and actually asked her out." Sirius slammed his head against the wall.  
  
"Don't do that." Lily soothed. "Its ok. I'll talk to Christy. And I won't tell anyone about Jess. I promise." Lily smiled kindly. Sirius' lips had a small smile playing on them.  
  
"Thanks Lily. You're better than a sister." Sirius actually hugged Lily.  
  
"Come on, James is going nuts without you." Sirius motioned for Lily to follow him. Arriving at a door that read I 7th year boys /I. Smiling to herself about James, Lily followed Sirius into the dorm.  
  
"Took you long enough." James jumped off his bed as soon as the door opened.  
  
"Yes, Prongs. I had to talk to Lily for a moment." Sirius said mysteriously.  
  
"Riiight." James paled slightly, thinking that Sirius told her that James actually said he loved her.  
  
"It wasn't that." Sirius laughed, flopping on his bed and opening a joke supply catalog.  
  
"What?" Lily wanted to know, curious.  
  
"You'll know someday." James said, kissing her forehead and grabbing his wallet.  
  
"Come on, Hogsmeade is waiting for us." James led Lily back into the house elves' secret corridor, and took her up several flights over stairs, around tons of turns, and down zillions of corridors. Arriving at what looked like the back of a tapestry, James and Lily stole out from behind it. James and Lily went to the end of the corridor, where a large, full-length mirror stood.  
  
"Dissendium." James tapped the mirror, which slid to the right, revealing a stone slide.  
  
"After you." James gave Lily a push down the slide, before going down himself. The two walked along a long stone passageway for a quarter hour, until they reached a wooden door. James pulled it open, and held it open for Lily. He shut the door behind them. Lily found herself in a dark alley, the one next to Honeydukes, the newly opened candy store of Hogsmeade.  
  
"Here we are." James smiled, taking Lily's hand and leading her into the busy street. No one noticed two teenagers who should be in the school walk into the candy store.  
  
"James. And." The owner of the store, known to the students of Hogwarts as Mr. Honeydukes, greeted them as they walked in.  
  
"Lily. Lily Evans." James wrapped his arm possessively around her waist.  
  
"How nice to see you again. What will you be needing this time?" Mr. Honeydukes smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling. James had no fear of him turning them into Dumbledore for being AWOL (absence without leave) from school, the Marauders generated tons of business with their impressive parties and excellent recommendations.  
  
"The usual for a Gryffindor Tower party." James grinned. The Marauders have set up three types of orders: A Tower party, a three house party (the Marauders would never serve Slytherins), and Marauder munchies; each of them have been used multiple time in the three year existence of Honeydukes.  
  
"Nice." Mr. Honeydukes nodded as he went about, gathering a few pounds of candy and chocolate, in a wide variety.  
  
"That will be 14 galleons." Mr. Honeydukes handed James a charmed bag that let anything fit inside of it.  
  
"No problem." James handed over the pre-counted money, it was the same every time with their frequent group buyer card.  
  
"See you soon! And have a good party!" Mr. Honeydukes called as Lily and James left the store.  
  
"Where to next?" Lily asked, taking the bag from James and taking his hand.  
  
"Three Broomsticks- only good place for butterbeer." James answered, leading Lily towards the pub. They entered and were greeted by a tall pretty dark haired and dark skinned girl whose parents own the bar.  
  
"Hey James! Lily!" She waved merrily at them.  
  
"Hi Rosie." James greeted her, Lily echoing him.  
  
"Another Gryffindor party?" Rosie guessed.  
  
"You got it. And even though you graduated last year, you can still come if you want. Lily's band is playing at it." James grinned down at Lily, who blushed slightly.  
  
"Nah, it won't be right. Like you said, I did graduate last year. Its ok. And I'll hear Lily when she plays here next weekend." Rosie turned down his invitation like always. Being the daughter of the owners of the Three Broomsticks, she always went home on the weekends to help at the bar. She was also invited to all the Gryffindor's parties- and she always turned them down politely. Rosie, or Rosemarta, as her proper name was, had been in Hufflepuff, and wasn't always comfortable being the only Hufflepuff in a room full of Gryffindors. If she went this year, she would be a visitor, and a graduate. No, her time for Hogwarts was over- but she'll always have the students to remind her and keep her from longing for the castle, she'll be working in the bar where all the students come to for butterbeer. Rosie went and got two barrels of butterbeer, shrinking them down to the size of a man's fist.  
  
"Thirty galleons, like always." Rosie smiled, handing the miniature barrels to Lily, because she held the bag.  
  
"Here you go. Remember, you're always welcome to come if you change your mind." James handed the money over, and left with Lily. James and Lily then made their way up to the school, before any teachers would inquire of their whereabouts.  
  
"Lily, are you all right?" Jess asked, concerned. It was five minutes until they were supposed to go on stage; Peter had just came to tell them.  
  
"I think I'm gonna be sick." Lily did look a very light shade of green.  
  
"Unh-uh. No way, Lil. Come on, you can do this." Jess gave her friend a hug.  
  
"Lily, it will be ok, you just have to get over your stage fright. It will probably melt away as soon as we get up there." Christy told her.  
  
"Yeah, you said James gave you advice, so follow it. The worst that could happen is that is doesn't work." Jess consoled Lily.  
  
"I don't know." Lily rasped. She was feeling really sick.  
  
"All ready?" James came up behind the girls.  
  
"No!" Lily wheezed, sitting down heavily in a chair.  
  
"Lil what's wrong?" James knelt in front of her chair, concern written clearly on his face.  
  
"I can't do it. I can't get up there and sing." Lily wailed miserably. It would be all her fault that they screwed up and never be anything.  
  
"Yes you can. Just ignore the audience. Come on now, you've got a show to do, everyone's been looking forward to this for days. Literally." James pulled Lily to her feet.  
  
"You'll be fine. Pretend its another practice or something. Knock 'em dead, tiger." James kissed Lily on the forehead and gave her a slight push towards the side entrance to the stage.  
  
"Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for." Sirius' voice boomed on the magical speakers that had been set up. "Ladies and Gentleman, Guys and Girls, it gives me great pleasure to present SUNSET MOON!" Jess and Christy pulled Lily on stage. The Gryffindor crowd was ecstatic, after all, they were getting a free concert and they had heard that the girls were quite good (courtesy of the Marauders).  
  
"Thank you, everyone!" Lily stepped up to the mike. She was still scared silly, but she had more important things to do than pee her pants.  
  
"Our first song is called Marauder's song, written by myself and Jess." Lily stepped back and picked up her guitar.  
  
"One, two, one two three four!" Christy counted beats. This was it, their first live, real gig. Lily concentrated on one person in the audience- all she saw was this one person, James. He had a look of contentness and happiness on his face, and that was what kept Lily singing in front of all her peers. All her stage fright melted away as she saw his face. I 'This is the life.' /I Lily thought to herself as she sung her heart out.  
  
I Marauder's Song, written by Lily Evans *This song is a spoof of UHow You Remind Me/U by Nickleback- it should be sung to that tune.  
  
You never made it as a good boy You didn't stop at one prank did 'ya? I'm tired livin' like a blind girl Whenever you steal my glasses And This is how you remind me This is how you remind me Of Where I really stand This is how you remind me Of where I really stand Its not like you say sorry You were working on an Alibi story This time I'm mistaken For giving you a chance worth takin' I've been wronged, you've been down. Down to every detention These five words you scream Are we having fun yet? Yet? Yet? Yet? No no Yet? Yet? Yet? No no Its not like you didn't know that I said I'll get you and I swear I still will You must have been so bad 'Cause livin' with you must have damn near killed them This is how you remind me This is how you remind me Of where I really stand This is how you remind me of where I really stand It not like you say sorry You were working on an alibi story This time I'm mistaken for givin' you a chance worth takin' I've been wronged, You've been down Down to every detention These five words you scream Are we having fun yet? Yet? Yet? Yet? No no Yet? Yet? Yet? No no You never made it as a good boy You didn't stop at one prank did 'ya? And this is how you remind me This is how you remind me This is how you remind me Of where I really stand This is how you remind me of where I really stand Its not like you say sorry You were working on an alibi story This time I'm mistaken For givin' you a chance worth takin' I've been wronged, you've been down Down to every detention These five words you scream Are we having fun yet? Yet? Yet? Yet? No no Yet? Yet? Yet? No no Yet? Yet? Yet? No no Yet? Yet? Yet? No no /I  
  
Lily looked away from James' face as the song ended That was when Lily noticed how very loud the students were cheering, James included. The sound was almost deafening, making Lily wish she had earplugs.  
  
"Lily!" Jess hissed away from a microphone.  
  
"What?" Lily was confused, everything had gone great.  
  
"Your dare. You forgot to do your dare." Jess reminded her.  
  
"Crap. Next song then." Lily rolled her eyes. She stepped up to her microphone.  
  
"The other night, as many of you probably noticed, we were playing truth or dare." Several Gryffindors chuckled at this. "Well, I kinda forgot to do one of my dares, so I'm going to do it during this next song. James, you have to get up here for this too- I hope you didn't forget your dare." Many more Gryffindors laughed. Everyone wanted to know what was going to happen. Lily stripped off her shirt, leaving her in her lace and satin black bra. Several guys, mostly immature ones, hooted and cat called, saying things like 'Take it all off, Evans!' Lily just rolled her eyes and beckoned James on stage; he too took off his shirt. A couple girls pretended to faint while two or three actually did faint.  
  
"This next song isn't by me, I chose it because it's just an all around good song. This is UThings I'll Never Say /U by Avril Lavgine." Lily spoke into the microphone.  
  
I B ***I know I know, Avril wasn't around back then, but just pretend- it's the perfect song for Lily in this story. Btw, I'm not gonna type out the lyrics because I have already written out a song in this story. Also, this song inspired the story*** /B /I  
  
Lily wouldn't look at James during this song. Instead, she fixed her eyes upon the opposite wall. When the song finished, Lily blushed a deep crimson.  
  
"Wonderful song. I loved it." James swept Lily into a dramatic kiss, much to the delight of the crowd, which was cheering and clapping. The band finished up their set (Lily did put her shirt back on as soon as her dare was fulfilled), the Gryffindors loved every minute of it.  
  
"That's all we have, if you liked the music, we'll be at the Three Broomsticks next weekend. We will be making a tape over Christmas break if anyone is interested. You've been a great audience, thank you!" Lily ended the concert.  
  
"Well there you have it, folks! Sunset Moon! Let's give them a big round of applause!" Sirius got back on the microphone he used as DJ. The Gryffindors cheered and clapped wildly; they really like Sunset Moon.  
  
"Now I'll be taking requests for the next hour." Sirius began playing dance music and such, many of the Gryffindors partying like there was no tomorrow.  
  
The next morning, Lily was feeling completely disoriented. Her neck hurt, her back was sore, she wasn't in her bed, AND THERE WAS SOMEONE WITH HER. Lily's eyes snapped open. She was on a couch in the common room, and James was next to her, his arm around her waist. Lily looked around, there were sleeping Gryffindors everywhere. Lily sighed and put her head on James' shoulder, she was much to comfortable to move. Lily awoke an hour later to a series of bright flashes and some high pitched giggling. Lily opened one eye. Sirius and Jess were laughing, taking pictures of her.  
  
"That's not very nice." Lily mumbled, pushing hair out of her eyes.  
  
"So? This is GREAT blackmail for Jamesie." Sirius grinned, shoving a picture underneath her nose.  
  
"I see it, Black. I don't have to snort it, you know." Lily shoved the photo away. She looked over at James, who was still sleeping peacefully.  
  
"You two are just too cute!" Jess giggled.  
  
"Shhh, its way to early for this. What time is it anyway?" Lily yawned.  
  
"10 am. You two are the last ones sleeping." Sirius laughed.  
  
"Go away." Lily mumbled, closing her eyes. James stirred.  
  
"What's going on?" He asked groggily.  
  
"You and Lily were the last ones sleeping. Time to get up." Sirius shouted in his ear.  
  
"OUCH! You do know that you don't have to yell, my hearing was perfectly fine. Though I don't know about that now." James growled, sitting up.  
  
"You awake, Lil?" James looked down at her.  
  
"Mmhmm. Those two idiots woke me up. Said something about blackmail." Lily murmured, not opening her eyes.  
  
"Blackmail?" James raised an eyebrow at Sirius.  
  
"Oh yes, some lovely pictures to show your mummy." Sirius grinned, pulling out several moving pictures of James and Lily sleeping, a few of them partying the night before, and don't forget the picture Sirius nabbed of them kissing on the couch.  
  
"Give me those!" James jumped to his feet, trying to get at Sirius.  
  
"Ahh! Never!" James chased Sirius around the common room, while Lily and Jess laughed at them.  
  
"I guess I should get up and dressed." Lily stretched, yawning. Jess just gave her a look.  
  
"Or well. get changed." Lily amended her statement- for she was still wearing her clothes from the night before.  
  
"Good idea." Jess giggled followed Lily up to their dorm.  
  
An hour later, James had caught up with Sirius and burned the pictures, while Lily and Jess had showered.  
  
"Hey Jess, can I talk to you?" Remus caught the girls at the foot of the stairs.  
  
"Yeah sure. See you later Lil." Jess walked off with Remus, to the courtyard outside the school.  
  
"Maybe I should go see Christy." Lily pondered, walking out the portrait. She arrive at the Ravenclaw entrance to their common room, which was guarded by a walking and talking suit of armor.  
  
"Ahh, Miss Evans. Head Girl. Are they starting a check by head students for the dorms? I must say, I have thought for ages that they should do that. These students just don't know the meaning of clean anymore-" The armor babbled until Lily smoothly cut him off.  
  
"Yes, some of them do have a problem with that. Actually, I'm here to see Christy. I need to talk some business with her. No need to worry, she's not in trouble. Library Book." Lily gave the password to the Ravenclaw common room. Their common room looked much like Gryffindor's, though it wasn't circular and the walls were stacked full of books.  
  
"Lily!" Christy came bounding over. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Wanted to come see you. Want to go for a short walk?" Lily inquired.  
  
"Sure." Christy shrugged and followed Lily out the stone door. After they had gotten away from the armor, who gave them an earful about some nonsense, Lily started talking.  
  
"Sirius asked me to talk to you. He says you won't speak to him. Or even look at him for that matter." Lily looked at Christy. "He'd like to know why."  
  
"I, uh, well, I don't like him that way anymore. I was just thinking about it the other day. He's my friend, and I like him better that way then a boyfriend. In all truth, I like Remus." Christy dropped her eyes to the floor and her voice to a near whisper.  
  
"Oh Christy." Lily was feeling sympathetic. Jess wasn't sure if she liked Sirius, though Lily thought she did; and Christy only wanted Sirius as a friend and Remus as more than a friend. What a screwed up situation.  
  
"You don't have to say anything. I've already done that enough for you." Christy's lower lip quivered. She felt horrible wanting one of her best friend's boyfriends, even if she couldn't help it.  
  
"Christy, everything will be ok. Don't date Sirius unlessI you/I want to. We just have to see what happens, ok? For now, we'll wait and watch. But you do need to tell Sirius if you just want to be his friend. Don't worry about him, he'll get over it, most guys do." Lily smiled, hugging her friend, who needed that hug desperately.  
  
"Thanks, Lily." Christy smiled, wiping a tear from her cheek.  
  
"Why don't we get you cleaned up, then we can go hang out somewhere? My dorm should be empty. Unless those stupid gits are in there. IWhitney and Mar-go/I." Lily rolled her eyes as the two girls went to the bathroom. After washing her face and the quick application of some makeup, Christy was ready and the two girls went up to Lily's dorm, which was surprisingly not empty. Jess was there, sobbing on her bed.  
  
"Jess, what's wrong?" Lily and Christy went up to her, sitting on her bed and trying to calm her down enough to get a story out of her.  
  
"R-Re-Remus!" Jess wailed.  
  
"He broke up with me! He said things just weren't the same." she sniffled.  
  
"But it could be good. 'Cause I did kinda notice how we weren't the same as before. But it hurts-s-s all the s-s-same!" Jess mumbled, wiping tears from her eyes.  
  
"Everything will work out for the best. Maybe you'll find someone new, or someone who was always there, but you never saw that way before. Come on, cheer up. You said so yourself, it could be good." Lily hugged Jess.  
  
"Yeah, change can be good. I bet you'll find someone else, and be happier than before." Christy smiled.  
  
"Can I really be happier? I mean, I was pretty happy." Jess sniffed slightly.  
  
"You can always be happier. You're in charge of whether or not you're happy. You don't have to sit here and be unhappy. You can go out and have fun." Lily told her.  
  
"Yeah, you're right. As always. He did say he wanted to be friends still. And I think that I'll take him up on that offer." Jess smiled.  
  
"Lets go have fun." Christy grinned. The three of them marched down to the common room.  
  
Remus stepped back, out of the light streaming into the hall from the open doorway.  
  
"So, friends, right?" Christy was saying.  
  
"Yeah." Sirius gave Christy a hug.  
  
I'They're just friends. Everything may just work out after all.' /I Remus was relived. After things had broken up with Jess, Remus noticed how nice kind, and just plain wonderful Christy was. He smiled to himself and slipped back to the common room, where he found Lily grilling Jess about something.  
  
"Jess, when was the last time you ate?" Lily had her hands on her hips, and was having trouble keeping her voice low. Jess muttered something intelligible.  
  
"Jess." Lily warned.  
  
"Yesterday morning." Jess looked at her feet. Why was Lily butting into her private business? Why did Lily have to be so nosy?  
  
"Jess, how could you? You told me you had eaten." Lily looked rather hurt. She had known for awhile that Jess had a problem with her weight, though Lily always thought she was a bit on the skinny side. Now, things had gone too far.  
  
"I wasn't hungry." Jess lied. She had been terribly hungry, she just couldn't eat. If she didn't eat, she wouldn't gain all that fat she tried so hard to keep off.  
  
"Jess, you have to eat, you'll Ikill/I yourself." Lily told her friend.  
  
"No I won't. And why do you care about my eating habits? Their mine, so BUTT OUT." Jess was getting angry.  
  
"I can't butt out, ok? You're my friend, and I won't let you do this to yourself." Lily remained cool, but firm.  
  
"Do what? Be thin for once? I guess its ok for you to diet, but not me." Jess ranted.  
  
"You know I do no such thing. But you have taken this 'diet' to an extreme. Now, are you going to walk, or do I have to levitate you?" Lily fingered her wand. She really hated what she was doing, but she had to do it. It was her duty, not only as head girl, but as a friend to do this.  
  
"Where?" Jess seemed to panic.  
  
"The hospital wing. Are you going to walk with me?" Lily asked again.  
  
"Or you'll do what?" Jess glared.  
  
"I'll put the full body bind on you and levitate you there." Lily said with all seriousness in her voice. Luckily, Jess listened.  
  
"I'll walk." Jess answered, knowing fully well that Lily was capable of levitating her down there. And that would be embarrassing too.  
  
"Good. Now come." Lily followed Jess out of the portrait, and the two girls walked in silence to the Hospital Wing.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey?" Lily called, entering the wing.  
  
"Yes dear? Oh, hi Lily. Are you feeling better?" Madam Pomfrey greeted her warmly.  
  
"Yeah. But I'm not here for that. Jess here hasn't been eating." Lily pulled Jess out from behind her, where Jess had hoped to go unnoticed long enough to slip out.  
  
"What's wrong? Why won't you eat?" Madam Pomfrey ushered Jess to a bed, where she was handed a pair of hospital pajamas.  
  
"I'll get fat. I'm just dieting." Jess defended herself. The young nurse looked disbelieving.  
  
"That's ok, trust me, you need a little meat on you. Look at yourself! You can see your ribs, and Ithat/I is not healthy. You'll be staying here a few days missy." Madam Pomfrey put Jess in a bed and went off to her office for something.  
  
"Thanks a lot, Lil." Jess grumbled.  
  
"No prob." Lily gave her a smile, which was not returned. "Ok, then. I'll be back later." Lily left, seeing that Jess was grumpy and would be angry at her for awhile. Jess just needed some time to cool off.  
  
Lily returned the next day, hoping Jess wouldn't be mad at her. Unfortunately, Jess was still very tweaked about the situation. After a smashed fruit bowl and hurtful words, Lily left the wing, wondering what was so horrible about saving her friend's life. A silent tear rolled down Lily's cheek as she walked the stairs and corridors to the tower. She was watching her feet and so absorbed in her thoughts, that she nearly bumped into someone. Luckily, this someone didn't mind at all.  
  
"Lily, what's wrong?" James asked, pulling Lily into a big hug, which she desperately needed.  
  
"Jess. She won't forgive me. She said she hates and never wants to see me again! She also said that she couldn't understand why she was friends with me in the first place." Lily sobbed, thankful that someone in this cruel world cared about her.  
  
"Lily, Jess will forgive, but she needs time. First, she needs to realize what she was doing to herself. Until then, she will think you were interfering." James soothed in a comforting voice, wiping away her tears.  
  
"For now, why don't you spend some time with Christy, take your mind off of Jess. Don't worry, she'll be herself in a few days." James squeezed Lily tightly, Lily returned his squeeze.  
  
"Now go have fun. Love you." James whispered in her ear, then walked off towards the hospital wing. He needed to talk to Jess.  
  
Lily stood rooted to the spot. James just said he loved her. Was he joking? Did he say that to all girls he dated? No, I've never heard him say it to anyone, and I'm usually watching him most of the time. Lily smiled, and skipped down the corridor. James loved her, and that was the best feeling in the world.  
  
"Jess, can I talk to you?" James asked tentatively as he neared her bed.  
  
"Fine." Jess grumbled, though she wasn't in a talking mood.  
  
"You really hurt Lily with what you said." James sat in the chair next to her bed.  
  
"I know." Jess started to feel a bit guilty. She really didn't mean all those things she said, but she did wish that Lily would learn to mind her own business.  
  
"She just wants you alive. We all do. We care about you, Jess. You may not see it right now, but think about it. Were you ever going to stop?" James continued in a calm voice.  
  
"Of course!" Jess answered haughtily.  
  
"But when? Jess, how much do you weigh?" James questioned gently.  
  
"45 kilos." Jess murmured.Ib(for those of you that don't know the conversion, that's 99 pounds- multiply kilos by 2.2 for pounds.)/I/b  
  
"Jess, you're what, five foot six? You're not heavy enough for your height. You are just skin and bones, and that's not as pretty as some curves. Trust me, I'm a guy." James smiled, trying to take the edge off of his words. Jess grinned slightly.  
  
"You really think so?" She asked hopefully. James was such a nice guy to come down here and talk to her-not lecture, but talk.  
  
"Yeah. Just think how much Siri-. Nevermind." James went slightly red. He wasn't supposed to say anything.  
  
"Its ok, I think I knew anyway." Jess gave James her first real smile since she came down here yesterday.  
  
"Good." James over-dramatized, pretending to wipe away sweat. Jess giggled.  
  
"Just think what I said over. I'll see you around soon, we hope." James stood up.  
  
"Ok. Bye!" Jess answered.  
  
"And tell. and tell Lily I'm sorry." Jess added, starting to blush. James smiled.  
  
"I'll do that." He called as he exited the Hospital Wing. ~*~  
  
James made his way back up to the Gryffindor tower, where he found Lily and Christy talking to Remus.  
  
"Hey." James went over a nuzzled Lily's neck.  
  
"Hi James." Lily smiled. "Where'd you go?"  
  
"Hospital Wing." He answered, and Lily's smile dropped a bit.  
  
"Jess says she's sorry. I talked a bit with her. I think now she wants a little more weight on her." James told her.  
  
"Oh good. I think." Lily was a bit puzzled.  
  
"It is good." James came around the loveseat and sat in the empty seat next to Lily.  
  
"You're the greatest, you know that?" Lily sighed, laying her head on his shoulder while he wrapped his arm around her. Remus smiled at them, it was obvious that Lily and James were in love. He was very happy for them- they seemed to be the perfect couple.  
  
"So James, when's the first Gryffindor quidditch practice?" Christy broke the silence that had descended upon them.  
  
"Next week. Monday at five on the field." James grinned; quidditch was his thing. "I should probably put up a bulletin- first practice everyone goes, next is actual tryouts." James nodded, thinking.  
  
"I want to be manager. You know, see if there is another school that would possibly battle the Gryffindor Lions." Lily stated, thinking that if she could be more involved in quidditch, she may just form another close bond to James.  
  
"That's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that?" James shook his head, he was amazed at the ideas Lily came up with- she was so original.  
  
"Cause you're not me?" Lily smiled innocently, causing the group to laugh. Sirius, for some strange reason, was no where to be found.  
  
"Yeah, that's it." James rolled his eyes, giving Lily a squeeze.  
  
"I think either Durmstrang or Beauxbatons would play us." Lily already began planning and such. "And we could hold a ball for the winner afterwards, no matter who wins." She added. Lily really wanted to have a ball this year, and the farewell ball wasn't always a definite. Besides, the whole school would be invited to this ball, not just the 7th years and their dates. An inter-house ball would be a great way to pull the school closer together, and with another school there, everyone could mingle with foreign students- creating ties that could be very useful if Voldemort gains anymore power.  
  
"Yet another awesome idea from Lily Evans." Christy laughed, making the group join in.  
  
"We'll need to make arrangements with Dumbledore." James nodded, he really like Lily's ideas.  
  
"That can be done." Lily sighed happily, glad that she was going to be involved with something that James loved more than life itself. ~*~  
  
The weeks seemed to fly by- Lily and James were so happy together. They talked about the inter-school quidditch games over with Dumbledore, who thought the idea was spectacular. Jess was released from the Hospital wing, and had completely gotten over her eating disorder, much to the delight of her friends. Remus and Christy began dating, and were completely happy together. Sirius and Jess were hanging out a lot, but weren't dating.  
  
"Hey, you want your boxers back?" Sirius held up the infamous boxers he wore to breakfast their first week of school. Jess and a couple other Gryffindors were in the common room- everyone was pretty bored so they turned to watch what will happen.  
  
"Not really." Jess smirked, looking up from her book.  
  
"Course you do." Sirius walked over and took her book, marking the page and putting it out of Jess' reach. He tossed the boxers on top of the book.  
  
"What do you want?" Jess rolled her eyes.  
  
"A game. Everyone is invited to play." Sirius called to the rest of the common room.  
  
"What game?" Jess raised an eyebrow. Sirius grinned.  
  
"TAG!" Sirius tapped Jess and took off at top speed, Jess close behind. She tagged another Gryffindor in her pursuit of Sirius, but kept going after him- he got her involved in a stupid muggle game!! Soon the whole common room was playing, everyone chasing each other and utter mayhem ensued. When Sirius became it, he went after Jess. He had a couple other chances to tag people but only went after Jess. Noticing this, Jess decided to make a run for it up the stairs to the girls' dorms. He caught her on the stairs, and turned her so she was facing him, in his arms. Then, Sirius did something he had wanted to do since he tried to give her back her boxers the first time, way back in the very beginning of this wild and crazy year- he kissed Jess long and hard, actually getting applause from those watching from the common room, or those who stuck their heads out of their dorm doors to see what the ruckus was about. Not that Jess minded- she kissed Sirius back.  
  
When they broke apart, they realized then that they were being applauded. Blushing terribly, Jess muttered goodbye to Sirius and went to her dorm. A little disappointed, Sirius went to his own dorm with a mission in his mind. He snuck through some of the house elf's secret corridors and stopped outside the tiny door that had 7th year girls written in glowing paint, as the corridors were quite dark. He put an ear to the door and listened, waiting for the right moment to come.  
  
"Jess, what's up? You're certainly blushing enough." Lily's voice filtered through the door.  
  
"Sirius kissed me in front of the whole friggin' common room." Jess' voice had some happiness mixed in with noticeable embarrassment.  
  
"Really? Jess, that's well, good, I think." Lily answered.  
  
"He's such a great kisser." Jess sighed in a far-away voice.  
  
"Well, I will be back- I was on my way out. Be back in ten!" Lily called, her voice dying away. When Sirius heard the door slam and nothing else, he figured he could go in. Quietly, he opened the door. Jess was laying on her bed, her brown hair fanned out beneath her. She was lost in thought, not even starting when Sirius quietly shut the door. He went to her bedside.  
  
"Fair maiden, are you sleeping?" He smiled, looking down at her. Jess looked up at him, and smiled back.  
  
"Depends." Jess answered.  
  
"Well, if my maiden is asleep, I might just have to give her a kiss to wake her up." Sirius sat on Jess' bed, leaning over and giving her a soft kiss.  
  
"Are you awake?" Sirius asked again, a smile playing on his lips.  
  
"No. I don't think so." Jess giggled and kissed him.  
  
"Jess, go out with me. Be my girl." Sirius looked straight into her eyes and hoped against hope she'd say yes- he had liked her for so long, and just now he was getting up the guts to just ask her.  
  
"Yes." Jess grinned and pulled him into a long kiss. They were still kissing when Lily returned.  
  
"Woah! Sorry, I'll just leave." Lily backed out of the room, closing the door.  
  
"Nah, we should go somewhere else anyway, Margo would kill me if she came in." Jess laughed, taking Sirius' hand and leaving.  
  
Before anyone knew it, it was Halloween and the Great Hall was decorated. Bats were flying around (bewitched to stay away from the candles); there were orange fairy lights in garlands, draped about the hall; and several pumpkins were strategically placed around the hall, all of them in Halloween shapes. Lily and James had volunteered to decorate since they knew exactly what they wanted, and had many fun ideas. The teachers, who usually decorated, were more than happy passing the job on to Lily and James. The feast that night promised to be spectacular, and Lily convinced Dumbledore to allow a 'social' afterwards in the Great Hall, so everyone could dance and, well, socialize. The best part about it was that James suggested that it should be done muggle style- a costume party. The days before hand, everyone was either receiving costumes from their parents or glad they went to Hogsmeade the weekend before. Lily and James decided not to do a couple costume, for many of them were too cheesy.  
  
"Lily, are you ready [I]yet[/I]? James called up the stairs when it was five minutes until the social- they had planned an hour between dinner and the party.  
  
"Yes, yes, I'm coming. Just hold your horses!" Lily rolled her eyes. She was putting the finishing touches on her costume.  
  
"Well, here I am." Lily came down the stairs wearing. what was it?  
  
"Uh, Lily, I'm afraid to ask, but what are you?" James questioned nervously. He was going as part of the Spanish Inquisition (from Monty Python!), along with Sirius, Remus and Peter.  
  
"Magenta from Rocky Horror Picture Show." Lily grinned. She was in a ripped French maid costume, and she cast a spell on her hair to make it curly and rather bushy. Her lips were painted bright red, along with her nails, and Lily was wear heels and a pair of fishnet stockings.  
  
"I've never even heard of that." James didn't mind her costume, it was just different.  
  
"It's a muggle musicale, usually shown a midnight at playhouses, or at the movies- its also a movie." Lily explained.  
  
"Oh, ok." James nodded.  
  
"I see that you are the Spanish Inquisition, which nobody expects." Lily grinned slightly using a line from Monty Python.  
  
"Exactly, you must be careful or we'll beat you with fluffy pillows! And if you're really bad, we'll subject you to the comfy chair." James laughed.  
  
"Not the comfy chair!" Lily giggled as James pulled her into a kiss.  
  
"You guys!" Sirius whined, coming up. Lily and James broke apart, smirking at Sirius.  
  
"What is it Sirius?" Lily asked in a sweet voice.  
  
"Nothing. Just wanted to know if you could go down yet. Seeing how we're all ready." Sirius pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, fine, let's go" And the group- Lily, Jess and the Marauders- headed down to the great hall. There, Christy quickly found them.  
  
"Hey- ready for our gig?" Christy asked excitedly. Christy had signed their band up to play at the social for about a half hour. There was supposed to be a DJ for the rest of the night.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so." Lily paled slightly, but was firm. Since summer, their band had done three gigs, doing spectacular at all of them.  
  
"Of course!" Jess exclaimed from Sirius' arms. Jess and Sirius had a fondness for touching each other; whether it was hugging, holding hands, whatever, but some part of them, if possible, was touching.  
  
The evening passed all too quickly for Lily. Before she knew it, it was 9 o'clock- time for their performance.  
  
"Ready?" Christy asked, poised to climb onstage.  
  
"Yeah." Lily said confidently, taking a moment to push all thoughts of totally embarrassing herself or everything going totally wrong from her mind.  
  
"You bet!" Jess seemed as equally excited as Christy.  
  
"Let's get this party started then!" Christy cried as they got on the makeshift stage Dumbledore had erected next to the DJ's table, with James following them onto the stage to announce them. James cleared his throat and stepped up to the mike.  
  
"Hello fellow students! Welcome to Hogwarts' first annual Halloween social! It is now time for our live entertainment- the resident band, Sunset Moon!"  
  
Sunset Moon rocked that night, there was no other way to describe it. James and Sirius were just off stage, watching their girlfriends perform. James sighed quietly. I'She's amazing. Look at her up there, you can tell she was made for the stage. She looks great in whatever she wears, she just doesn't see it'/I James sighed again and Sirius saw him this time.  
  
"They're great up there, aren't they?" Sirius asked in James ear, the music was rally loud, making conversation difficult.  
  
"Yeah." James nodded.  
  
"What's wrong? You seem, I don't know, almost depressed." Sirius surveyed his friend's slouched demeanor.  
  
"Nothing's wrong. Lily is just perfect, but she doesn't see it. She's the type of girl I could see myself marrying someday." James smiled slightly at the thought.  
  
"Thinking of marrying her someday?" Sirius asked, almost surprised. He knew his buddy was the kind of guy who was gonna marry early, but for goodness' sake, he was only 17!  
  
"I'm not sure. It would depend if she'd have me. And what my parents think." James answered in a monotone voice.  
  
"Yeah, that makes sense." Sirius shrugged. "I don't know if I'll ever marry. I'm looking for the right girl still. Jess maybe the one, but I don't know yet. We're only 17, we wouldn't know love if it bit us."  
  
"Really? I always thought of it as, if you can't see yourself making it through the day without her, and she's the only one you want to come home to day in and day out; I'd say that's love." James replied, thinking of what his dad had told him when his was little, when James, only 4 years old, had asked what love was.  
  
"You're making much too much sense. Let's go congratulate them." Sirius motioned towards the stage, which the band were finishing up their last song.  
  
"You guys were awesome, no doubt about it." Sirius congratulated the girls as they walked off the stage.  
  
"Why thank you." Jess grinned and kissed Sirius.  
  
"And might I add that you all look ravishing tonight." Sirius added, kissing Jess again.  
  
"Ok, that's enough break it up." Lily rolled her eyes, taking James' hand.  
  
"Hey Lil, have you tried this pumpkin juice? Its great. Something's different but I can't quite put my finger on it." James offered his cup to Lily, who took a sip.  
  
"James, what are you trying to pull?" Lily narrowed her eyes and stepped away from him.  
  
"Nothing, is something wrong?" James was clearly bewildered, while Sirius was silently snickering, which did not go unnoticed.  
  
"Did Sirius give that to you?" Lily asked, suspecting Sirius of spiking James' juice.  
  
"Yeah." James was still confused.  
  
"Sirius, I'm guessing you used the Alcohoila spell or potion." Lily turned her none-too-happy face to him.  
  
"The spell. How'd you know? More importantly, why'd you tell?" Sirius laughed openly.  
  
"I don't think giving my boyfriend and probably other defenseless students a drink that has the same properties of 200 proof alcohol is funny." Lily snapped.  
  
"That would explain the actions of those students over there." James laughed at a few 6th years who were weaving their way, drunkenly, towards the doors.  
  
"Sirius!" Jess screeched and smacked him over the head.  
  
"Hey!" Sirius grumbled, rubbing the spot where his girlfriend hit.  
  
"Its funny as hell, but mean! That's something you should do to the Slytherins, or to Whitney and Margo, NOT our friends." Jess maintained.  
  
"You're crazy. Stark-raving-" Sirius began.  
  
"Sane." James cut him off. "That is a perfect idea." James grinned downing the rest of his glass.  
  
"James!" Lily yelped.  
  
"Sorry, couldn't help it- that stuff is like addictive." He shrugged apologetically.  
  
"It is." Sirius grinned again.  
  
"WHAT?!" Lily shrieked.  
  
"Well, I added a spell of my own creation to make the drinker want to finish the cup and contemplate another one." Sirius laughed proudly.  
  
"Sirius! Now that was stupid!" Lily was furious.  
  
"Lily! Come on now, I'm fine." James wrapped his arm around her and kissed her deeply.  
  
"James, you're drunk. Or well. in essence you're drunk." Lily had a hard time pushing him off- she didn't want to all that much. and now that she thought of it, she was really thirsty.  
  
"Man, I need a drink." Lily walked to the nearest table and poured herself a large glass of pumpkin juice, drinking half of it, then refilling it.  
  
"S-s-sirius, I'm gonnnna kill you." Lily walked, somewhat straight, over to the group.  
  
"Why, Lily dearest?" Sirius grinned unabashedly.  
  
"Putting a catalyst charm thingy on top of all the other ones." Lily made a move to slap him, but missed and nearly hit Jess, who had taken Sirius's cup, drank most of it, and was now giggling wildly.  
  
"What's a catalyst?" Peter, who had been watching, piped up.  
  
"A something to make something work faster." Lily wrinkled her nose.  
  
"Oh." Peter still seemed confused.  
  
"She means something that is used to speed a reaction." James explained.  
  
"Oh, ok." Peter mumbled.  
  
"You know, they're gonna be really pissed at you. Me too, probably." James murmured in Sirius' ear as they went to get more drinks, as the girls sat at a table, giggling madly.  
  
"Its funny as all get out. How could I pass up a chance like this? Hey- I took your advice and put the charm on Snapey's cup, as well as Lucius'. Oh, and on a few others- a couple sixth years and seventh years."  
  
"Awesome" James, nodded.  
  
It was an hour after the ball, and James and Lily were on their way back to their dorms, having made sure all students were in their common rooms. They changed into normal clothes after the ball ended, with a wave of their wand, and the spell that Sirius had put on many people's drinks was wearing off, luckily leaving no hangovers.  
  
"Lily?" James asked, as they exited the Hall.  
  
"Yeah James?" Lily yawned, it was past 2 am.  
  
"Come for a walk with me in the courtyard." James took her hand gently.  
  
"Its late." Lily commented, but let James take her outside.  
  
"So? Its so mice out here." James wrapped his arm around Lily, leading her over to a stone bench.  
  
"It is." Lily looked around them- the moonlight was dazzling, spreading its beams across the courtyard and gardens, giving everything a romantic glow.  
  
"I love you." James sat next to Lily, facing her.  
  
"I know. I love you too." Lily kissed him.  
  
"Will you marry me?" James asked, holding both of Lily's hands. "I don't have a ring yet, but we can get one over Christmas break."  
  
"James, you're drunk. I don't want you making a mistake. We've only been dating two months. You didn't know I existed until this year." Lily broke her own heart as she answered him.  
  
"I'm not so drunk, and Lily, I love you. There's nothing more to it. And when people love each other."  
  
"They get married. James, you're 17. Are you old enough to know what love is?"  
  
"Yes. All I know is that if I can't be with you for the rest of my life, then my life isn't worth living."  
  
"James, I want to say yes, I truly do. But my head is saying to wait."  
  
"I understand." James hung his head slightly, then got an idea.  
  
"Lily, I want you know that I'll wait forever for you, answer me when you're ready." James kissed Lily, then went up to his dorm, knowing that she just needed time to think.  
  
"I can't believe I said that." And with that, Lily laid down on the cold, hard stone bench, and cried.  
  
"I love him so much it hurts, and yet when my wish is about to be fulfilled, I dash it to pieces. He'll never want to marry me now." Lily sobbed to herself.  
  
"He did say he'd wait for me, didn't he?" Lily suddenly thought after crying for about an hour on the stone bench. She checked her watch. It was 3 am.  
  
"I think I'll go see him now. An hour isn't as long as a night of no sleep." Lily crept back into the school, making her way to the Gryffindor common room, where she found James watching the fire listlessly, muttering to himself. Luckily for her, he didn't hear her come in.  
  
"I totally blew it with her. She thought I was drunk. Now she'll never believe that I actually love her. How can I make her understand that time doesn't matter? I was an idiot not to see her before."  
  
"No, James, you weren't." Lily came around the couch and sat next to him, while James just looked at her sadly.  
  
"I love you James, and you said you'd wait forever. I was stupid enough to make you wait an hour. You're right, time doesn't matter when you're in love, because love doesn't know time. James, I love you with all my soul, my answer is yes." Lily kissed him again, hoping for all the world that James still wanted her. When they broke apart, James gave her a dazzling smile.  
  
"I'm glad you agree with me." James took a blanket and put it over the two of them. They spent the rest of the night there, dreaming of the promising future they had together.  
  
Lily and James were woken up much earlier than they would have liked to the next morning, and in a very unpleasant way.  
  
"Hey, James!" Sirius came bounding down the boy's dormitory stairs.  
  
"Shh, they're sleeping." Jess said quietly, getting up and putting a hand over Sirius's loud mouth.  
  
"I can see that now." Sirius' voice was muffled through Jess' hand.  
  
"Will you be quiet?" Jess asked. Sirius nodded in reply.  
  
"Ok." Jess removed her hand, and sat back down in the chair she had been occupying before, with her book. Sirius got an evil grin on his face, and took out his wand once he made sure Jess was fully absorbed into her book, and wasn't paying attention to him. Poising his wand above them, Sirius whispered a spell. Out of Sirius' wand came buckets of ice cold water onto the sleeping couple.  
  
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Jess scrambled up from her chair and cast a drying charm over the room, effectively drying out Sirius' wand.  
  
"Hey, what you did you do that for?" Sirius' whined while laughing at his unhappy, shivering friends.  
  
"That's what we should be asking you!" James growled in reply. He may have been dry, but he was still COLD.  
  
"Here, let's warm up." Lily picked up her wand from the side table and magicked them some hot cocoa. "I must say, that was quite rude." Lily spoke to Sirius as he sat in a chair across from the couch she and James were on.  
  
"It was just a little joke." Sirius grinned hopefully, maybe they wouldn't retaliate.  
  
"Oh, but a very mean joke. Kinda like the one you pulled last night. You better hope that Arthur really loves Molly, seeing how they're going to get married. Marriage is forever Sirius." James picked up.  
  
"Oh come on, did his proposal come as a complete surprise to you? I've been expecting it for years. They've been dating since 2nd year." Sirius sounded a bit exasperated, with a hint of hesitance in his voice. I'Where are they going with this?/I "And if they really hate each other, they could always get a divorce." Sirius added as an afterthought.  
  
"Like James said before, Sirius. Marriage is forever. You can really screw up your life. But why are we talking about this? We should be talking about how you are going to make it up to James and I for waking us up, and then to all those students, who's cups you cast that retched spell on. Yes, what do you think James?" Lily had a scary look on her face, a sickly sweet smile that let you know that revenge was on its way.  
  
"We do need some compensation, don't we? I'm thinking, he could wait on us all day?" James turned to Lily.  
  
"In a tutu." Lily added, seeing the horror bloom on Sirius' face.  
  
"No way- NO WAY!" Sirius started to get up, but Jess forced him back into his seat. "Jess- you gotta help me!" Sirius looked up at his girlfriend.  
  
"No, Sirius, I think what they have in mind is just perfect, and it would be enough of a laugh for everyone to forgive you for last night's joke too." Jess said matter-of-factly.  
  
"I won't do it! You can't make me!" Sirius panicked.  
  
"Oh yes we can." Lily grinned evilly and cast a 24 hour charm that added a frilly pink tutu to whatever outfit he was wearing.  
  
"No! I'm really sorry James- DON'T MAKE ME DO THIS!" Sirius begged, tugging at his frilly pink tutu.  
  
"Well, if you won't wait on us, the tutu stays on for two days." James decided, giving his best friend a choice.  
  
"I'll wait on you." Sirius grumbled, figuring one day of embarrassment was better than two.  
  
"Good. Though we do have quidditch practice- so you'll have a nice break." James said thoughtfully.  
  
"We have quidditch practice? When was that announced, and where was I?" Sirius was truly surprised.  
  
"Well, at the last quidditch practice, the one you decided to hit on Jess during. Yeah, that one." James smirked as Sirius went slightly red. James was quidditch captain/seeker- he had been for three years, though he had played house quidditch since 2nd year- they didn't allow first years onto the teams. Sirius, on the other hand, had been a beater only for a year, and that had been found out by accident, when Sirius got Ivery/I drunk and had been suckered into playing a game of pickup quidditch on the front lawns with Remus, James, and a few other students. Jess also played quidditch, she was their keeper, not only of the goals, but the sanity and peace of the team. James tended to be a quidditch nazi, while Sirius was a total goof, and those two personalities clashed on the field, resulting in the need of a peace keeper. Lily, unfortunately, had an exceptionally strong fear of heights, and hadn't been on a broomstick since flying lessons their first year, and never willingly.  
  
"Well, then." Sirius stuttered, at a lost (for once!) for words.  
  
"Have the other schools written back yet about the inter-scholastic quidditch matches?" Jess butted in, curious.  
  
"Well, Beauxbatons has, they will send their winning team to Hogwarts close to the end of the school year. didn't they say May something or other?" Lily looked to James for conformation.  
  
"Yeah- May 23." James nodded.  
  
"Their winning team? And who from Hogwarts are they going to play?" Jess pondered.  
  
"They hold inter-house matches like we do, and they'll be playing the quidditch cup winner from Hogwarts. Which everyone Iknows/I will be the Gryffindor Lions!" James raised his voice, catching the attention of the players and fellow Gryffindors, rallying house support.  
  
"Yeah!" came a resounding cry from the Gryffindors. School spirit and love of their houses were deeply imbedded into the students, especially the Gryffindors.  
  
"So when is quidditch practice?" Sirius asked, changing the subject, annoyed.  
  
"Three. So until then, and after then, you will call Lily Miss Lily, and you can call me, Master James." James gloated, making Sirius glower.  
  
"So, Sirius, I think I'd like a piggy back ride to the Great Hall for breakfast, if you don't mind." Lily smiled up at him.  
  
"Fine, Lil." Sirius whined and waited for her to jump on his back.  
  
"That's 'fine, Miss Lily." James corrected him.  
  
"Sorry, IMaster James/I. At your service, IMiss/I Lily." Sirius grumbled and Lily jumped onto his back.  
  
"Geeze, Lil, do you eat? I could toss you!" Sirius was joking as they descended the stairs to the Great Hall.  
  
"Miss Lily. And yes, I do. Don't you see me? Granted, I don't eat nearly as much as you do, but I certainly do eat." Lily rolled her eyes.  
  
"Hey, I like it when Sirius gives you a piggy-back ride- you're taller." James laughed, running a hand through Lily's hair, getting it out of her eyes.  
  
"Are you saying I'm too short for you, Mr. Potter?" Lily asked, somewhat indignant.  
  
"I never implied anything!" James grinned, and leaned close to Lily and whispered so only she could hear, not even Sirius "the future Mrs. Potter." James drew away and winked, while Lily just giggled.  
  
"Now I want to know!" Jess cried, wondering what James had said.  
  
"Yeah, me too!" Sirius whined.  
  
"You'll find out. someday." Lily grinned evilly. James looked at her pleadingly.  
  
"No James, not yet. You still have to buy me something." Lily said ominously, knowing fully well that James, but no one else, would understand.  
  
"I told you, Christmas break. We have a week off then" James answered just to thoroughly confuse Jess and Sirius, who were exchanging looks.  
  
"I WANT TO KNOW!" Sirius shouted, after dumping Lily in her chair at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Know what?" Lily asked, innocently as the rest of her friends sat down.  
  
"You know what!" Sirius complained as he piled food on his plate.  
  
"Do I, now?" Lily looked at him inquisitively.  
  
"Yes, you do!" Sirius shot back.  
  
"Maybe I don't. And by the way, if you don't watch how much you're eating, you're never going to fit into that tutu again." Lily giggled and Sirius turned slightly red.  
  
"I never want to wear [I]this[/I] again." Sirius stated, drawing out each syllable.  
  
"Oh, but Siri, you look SO good!" Jess giggled and ruffled his hair.  
  
"She's got a point there, Sirius." James snorted into his morning cereal.  
  
"Shut up." Sirius growled, before digging into breakfast. The meal was rather normal, considering Sirius was wearing a frilly pale pink tutu over his jeans and white t-shirt (it was a dress down day, being the day after the ball and a Saturday. Right as they were about to finish, Professor McGonagall came up to them.  
  
"Mr. Black, what, in the name of all things sane, are you wearing?" She asked, irritated.  
  
"A tutu, I thought that was obvious." Sirius shrugged while the rest of them snickered behind their hands.  
  
"Why are you wearing a tutu?" McGonagall pressed.  
  
"Enh, I had to. Besides, it is dress down day, so why not?" Sirius flashed her a grin and turned around, to his plate.  
  
"You're right Mr. Black. Though it might be of vital information to you, that Muggles, especially muggle men never wear those." McGonagall turned on her heel and left the four students laughing.  
  
The day passed quickly, as did the next several. The Gryffindor Quidditch team trampled every team they played, and the seventh years had homework piled on them. None too soon, it was time for Christmas break, and the Marauders plus Lily, Jess and Christy were going home on the train. Lily was undoubtedly excited, she could barely contain herself. Only James knew what she was excited about, but he didn't clue anyone else in.  
  
"Lily, would you stop bouncing already?! You're driving me nuts!" Jess shouted, throwing down her Exploding Snap cards, causing them to blow up. Unfortunately, they blew up in Sirius' face as he bent down to check Jess' hand.  
  
"Sorry." Both Jess and Lily replied at the same time, meekly.  
  
"Anyway, why're you so happy?" Jess asked, hands on her hips.  
  
"Why not?" Lily shrugged.  
  
"Because you're officially insane?" Christy supplied from her seat next to Remus, across the compartment.  
  
"Never said I wasn't." Lily giggled and gave James' hand a squeeze.  
  
" Riiight." Jess said, unbelievingly.  
  
"Say, who's up for a game of Gobstones?" James changed the subject, effectively drawing everyone's attention from Lily. In fact, Gobstones held their attention for the rest of the trip, say about 2 hours. Once they were on the platform, James took Lily aside.  
  
"You owled the Jones' right? They know you're coming to my house, and for dinner tonight?" James confirmed.  
  
"Yes, just relax! Don't worry, everything will be fine. Now, we're flooing to your house from Diagon Alley?" Lily asked.  
  
"Yes, after we pick out your ring." James grinned.  
  
"Well, lets go then!" Lily giggled and the two pushed their trolleys out of the hidden platform. Lily and James had no problem getting to Diagon Alley with their trunks, the ticket master on the Platform 9 ¾ side bewitched their trunks to be feather light. They left their things in a corner of the Leaky Cauldron, then set out for the jewelry store. First of course, they stopped at Gringotts, so James could get some money, along with Lily, though she doubted James would let her spend any- James' family was quite well off, in case I haven't mentioned it.  
  
"Here it is- the best jeweler in the warding world, right here in Diagon Alley." James grinned as he held the door open for Lily. Lily's eyes were wide with wonder and amazement- the jewelry in the shop was simply gorgeous.  
  
"Pick out whatever ring you want." James told her, and Lily hesitantly stepped up to the counter.  
  
"How may I help you?" the kind woman behind the counter asked.  
  
"Um, err, I would like to see the engagement rings, please." Lily mumbled.  
  
"Of course. Is that your fiancé?" The woman questioned politely as she pulled out a few trays of rings. Lily just stared at some of them. The diamonds on some of them were huge! She'd sink to the bottom of the ocean with one of those on. Lily tried on a few, but didn't really like them enough to get.  
  
"I have one last tray, they're rather unconventional though." The counter help offered after Lily had gone through the last rings, with James watching over her shoulder.  
  
"Ok, bring them out." James nodded and the woman disappeared into the back of the store for a few minutes, then returned with a final display.  
  
"Oh, my." Lily breathed. She saw the ring she wanted. Nestled between two plainer rings, was a beautiful white gold ring with tiny silver vines entwining it, a miniature lily on either side of the modest sized diamond, with a small emerald in the heart of each flower.  
  
"This is perfect!" Lily could hardly speak above a whisper, as she picked up the ring. There was something engraved on the inside- 'Lily and James, a love that will last forever.' The minute script read, amazingly legible for the size.  
  
"What are you looking at?" James peered over Lily's shoulder, then gasped in surprise as he read the inscription.  
  
"Well, then. It was made for us!" James laughed uneasily as Lily slipped the ring on- it fit perfectly.  
  
"Would you like a box, or will you be wearing it?" The woman behind the counter startled them.  
  
"Oh, I'll just wear it, thank you." Lily looked fondly upon her ring. 5 minutes and 50 galleons later, Lily and James were flooing to his house.  
  
"James? Lily? Is that you?" A woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes, exactly like James' greeted them.  
  
"Yes. Mum, I want you to meet Lily. Lily, this is my mother." James pushed Lily forward, and the two women shook hands.  
  
"Its so wonderful to meet you. Jamie has said lots about you in his letters home this year." Mrs. Potter grinned conspiratorially towards Lily, who giggled slightly. James blushed.  
  
"Well, we'd better get going. We have dinner guests tonight, so its all formal. Lily, wouldn't you like to see your room?" James asked Lily.  
  
"Yes, that would be nice." Lily nodded. "It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Potter."  
  
"Oh! You're just too cute! Actually, just call me Jeanine. Everyone does." James' mother smiled and left the two in the rather large foyer. Lily looked about in wonder as she took in her surroundings. James' house was HUGE! He was more than well off, he was loaded! The foyer was two stories and could easily fit three other rooms inside. The house was well decorated, as if someone had lots of time and money to find all the right items.  
  
"Come on, now." James grinned and led Lily through his immense house, finally arriving at a wing of the house, which James declared was his wing.  
  
"You have your own wing?" Lily asked incredulously.  
  
"Yeah, all my guests stay here. This used to be unused, until I began having parties- my parents didn't like the noise. So, they told me to move to this wing." James shrugged as if it was nothing.  
  
"Wow." Lily answered. Even when her parents were alive, she had never even come close to being half way as well off as James. She shared a room with her sister for several years, and then she got her own room at the Jones' house.  
  
"This is your room." James ushered Lily into a brightly lit room, with a jungle theme. The walls were a mural- the rainforest. And of course it was a wizarding mural- the birds really flew, wind really rustled the leaves, dew actually shown upon the foliage. Only thing missing was the sound, which she was informed could be turned on and off at will- she just had to press her hand to the tree with the handprint carved on it.  
  
"Amazing." Lily murmured, surveying her room. The bed, in the center of the room, had vines. Draped over the green silk canopy.  
  
"I'd thought you'd like it. Dinner's in two hours, and its formal. Your bathroom is through that door. You'll probably find that my mother went shopping for you- she has a habit of doing that." James shook his head as he opened the closet door. All the doors had dark green silk and vines draped about them so you would know that there was a door. Sure enough, inside the closet, there were several dresses for Lily to choose from, along with dress robes. "I think some important muggles are coming, so dress robes are out. But all of these, should look stunning on you." James grinned, then kissed Lily lightly on her forehead.  
  
"I love you." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"I love you more." Lily sighed.  
  
"No way, I love you more." James said more seriously.  
  
"Though, 'cause I love you the most." Lily giggled.  
  
"Ok, you win- for now. Run along and get ready, I'll leave you to get dressed." James kissed Lily again and left the room, leaving Lily all alone.  
  
[I]'Well, life is better than I expected, times two. James' house is so nice.[/I] Lily let her thoughts wander as she showered in her magnificent bathroom (magically heated marble bathtub, shower, sink, floor- you name it, it was warm and pleasing to the touch, unlike non-magical marble). When she was done and had a towel about her, Lily looked at the dresses that James' mother had gotten for her. Lily couldn't believe her eyes- at lease twenty formal dresses, in all sorts of colors and styles. There was a note too-  
  
[I]Lily~ Sorry you couldn't come shopping with me today, but Jamie said you and he had something important to do before you got here. Perhaps another day we can go shopping- one of my addictions! Much love, Jeanine[/I]  
  
Lily couldn't believe how nice Mrs. Potter was. Getting her all these dresses and robes, plus they were all her size! Lily chose a dark green dress that night, the color perfectly matched her eyes. It was a simple strapless dress, semi-formfitting to the waist and flared out a bit extra at the feet. When Lily brushed her dark red locks just right, the ends curls effortlessly, drawing a bit back out of her eyes. Lily was quite pleased with the outcome, her makeup was perfect, and her new ring was set off by the whole ensemble.  
  
"Lily, are you ready?" James knocked on her door.  
  
"Yes, come in." Lily called, putting some earrings in.  
  
"Wow, you look gorgeous." James nodded in approval, Lily did look good.  
  
"You look handsome too, hottstuff." Lily grinned. James looked excellent in his suit.  
  
"Shall we? Guests should be arriving soon." James offered his arm and led Lily to the foyer, which had about 20 people milling about.  
  
"James! Lily! Don't you two look wonderful? Lily, I'd like you to meet James' father, Ian." Mrs. Potter came over to them, her husband trailing behind.  
  
"Lily, is it?" Mr. Potter extending his hand.  
  
"Its so nice to meet you Mr. Potter." Lily smiled, and nodded, accepting the handshake.  
  
"Ah, a young lady with manners. We don't see those very often anymore." James' father smiled. Lily was shocked at the family resemblance- James looked exactly like his father except for the eyes. He had his mother's eyes. The host and hostess walked off to greet some more guests.  
  
"Lily?" Mrs. Jones' voice came from behind her.  
  
"Mrs. Jones!" Lily whirled around and hugged her benefactor.  
  
"Its so nice to see you. Is this James?" Mrs. Jones, asked.  
  
"Yes, yes. James, this is Mrs. Jones, Mr. Jones. I stayed with them last summer" Lily nodded to the couple.  
  
"Lily has always told us wonderful things about you." Mrs. Jones smiled and winked at James. Lily felt a strong blush creeping up her neck.  
  
"James? Lil?" Sirius' voice called.  
  
"Yes, well, it was nice seeing you. I'll write you before break is out." Lily hugged Mrs. Jones again before following James to where Jess and Sirius were.  
  
"Well, well, well. Fancy party- know why they're having it?" Sirius joked.  
  
"I think its some muggle-wizard relations thing. That's why we're not in robes." James shrugged, keeping concealed the fact that they were going to announce their engagement right before dinner- he had already checked with his parents, to make sure they didn't flip out or anything. Besides, they knew something was up when James and Lily 'had' to go to Diagon Alley before they went home; and they couldn't miss the spectacular ring or bill when Lily and James did arrive home.  
  
"Nice house, James." Jess was in awe of James's mansion. It was simply HUGE!  
  
"Yeah." James laughed. His mother caught his eye and motioned him over. Pardoning himself, James went over to his mother.  
  
"Mum?"  
  
"James, dear, dinner will be served promptly a 6 pm. You can announce either right before everyone is served, or during the meal. The choice is yours." Jeanine sounded proud of her son. Then again, she had all of the rights to be.  
  
"Let's. do it before. That way, when the meal is served, everyone will be too busy eating to be asking questions. Also, it's a good dinner conversation. 'Can you believe that little Jamie is getting married?! It seems like just yesterday." James joked with his mother.  
  
"You're awful." Jeanine rolled her eyes and hugged her son.  
  
"I love you and I'm proud of you, I want you to know that." Jeanine whispered, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"Aw, mum!" James blushed.  
  
"Now," Jeanine dabbed at her eyes with a tissue produce from her clutch, "why don't you go join Lily, she seems to be missing you." Jeanine gave her son a small push in the direction of his fiancé. Sure enough, Lily kept glancing in James's direction as he made his way over to her.  
  
"Miss me?" James slid an arm around her waist and kissed Lily's neck.  
  
"Oh yes." Lily giggled. "Lots." The next hour passed quickly, the group of four was soon joined by Remus, Peter, and Christy, and the group talked and laughed until dinner was announced. At the sound of Jeanine saying dinner was ready, Lily visibly paled.  
  
"Don't worry, it will be ok. Everything will be alright." James whispered in her ear. "I love you, that's all that matters." James squeezed Lily's hand.  
  
"Yeah. All that matters." Lily seemed to get a little of her color back, but was still noticeably white. 


End file.
